COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SO WHAT.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HER BOLT.
COUNCILMEMBER Y ROSE.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ALICE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES OF THE APRIL 13, 2020
MINUTES WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
MINUTES ARE ADOPTED.
REALLY QUICKLY, I WILL GO
THROUGH THE PRESIDENTS REPORTS.
I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT
TODAY MARKS THE RETURN OF
PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE CITY
COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS
AFTERNOON.
WE WILL TEST OUT OUR NEW
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT SYSTEM
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. SO IN
ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC
COMMENT, PEOPLE WILL HE NEED TO
SIGN UP IN THE ADVANCED, SO I
WANT TO REPEAT THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO GIVE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY THIS AFTERNOON AT 2
O'CLOCK, YOU MUST REGISTER IN
ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
THAT REGISTRATION PAGE IS
AVAILABLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE.
THIS REGISTRATION PAGE WILL GO
LIVE TODAY AT 12 PM NOON, SO DO
NOT BOTHER GOING THERE TO THE
WEBSITE NOW TO PREREGISTER, YOU
CANNOT REGISTER UNTIL NOON.
THAT IS 12 PM TODAY.
THAT IS EXACTLY 2 HOURS BEFORE
THE START OF OUR FULL COUNCIL
MEETING AT 2:00 PM.
YOU CAN FIND THE LINK TO THIS
PAGE VIA THE MEETING AGENDA, OR
THROUGH ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS THAT WILL
BE ACTIVELY PUSHING OUT THIS
INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL
PUBLIC TODAY.
SO I WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS PUBLIC
COMMENT PROCESS WILL WORK AT 2
PM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT
BEFORE THE MEETING BEGINS TODAY
AT 2 O'CLOCK, I WOULD ASK THAT
YOU CONTACT ME, MY STAFF FOR,
EXCUSE ME, THE STAFF OR ONE OF
THE MANY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES
THAT WERE BUSY AT WORK OVER THE
LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THIS
WEEKEND IT TO MAKE VIRTUAL
PUBLIC COMMENT POSSIBLE.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK
THOSE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
EMPLOYEES, ERIC, IAN SMITH,
ELIZABETH, AND JOSEPH ALL
PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN
MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE GOING
TO BE READY FOR THIS
AFTERNOON'S VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENT TOOL DEPLOYMENT.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THEIR
HARD WORK TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE
AND AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL
INTO THE PUBLIC.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
NOTE THAT THIS PUBLIC COMMENT
TOOL IS IMPORTANT AND I REMAIN
COMMITTED TO REINTEGRATING
PUBLIC COMMENTS INTO OUR
MEETINGS, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT
I AM GOING TO ASK FOR EVERYBODY
TO BE REALLY PATIENT BECAUSE
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE WILL
USE IT, SO IT IS A BIT OF A
LIVE TEST RUN OF THIS NEW AND
OPTIONAL SYSTEM.
THERE MAY BE SOME HICCUPS AS WE
ROLL IT OUT.
WHILE I REMAIN, WHILE IT
REMAINS MY INTENT TO HAVE
PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
INCLUDED, I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT IF
THE TOOL IS ABUSED OR NOT USED
FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE, THEN
WE WILL ELIMINATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIODS FOR MEETINGS
EITHER FULL COUNTY OR COMMITTEE
MEETINGS IN THE FUTURE WE ARE
USING A ZOOM PLATFORM AND WE
HAVE HEARD SOME STORIES ABOUT
HOW ZOOM CAN BE HACKED OR
OTHERWISE MISUSED BY THE
PROJECTION OR PLANE OF
EVERYTHING FROM PORNOGRAPHIC
MATERIAL TO OTHER INAPPROPRIATE
MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCE AND
MATTERS, SO THAT IS NOT GOING
TO BE TOLERATED.
OF COURSE, THIS IS AGAIN A NEW
TOOL.
IT IS STILL OPTIONAL AND WE ARE
GOING TO DO THE BEST TO MAKE IT
WORK WELL FOR US AND FOR THE
PUBLIC, BUT WE DO EXPECT THAT
THE PUBLIC WILL RESPECT THE
TOOL AND USE THE TOOL AS IT IS
INTENDED.
OTHERWISE WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE
THE DIFFICULT DECISION OF
TERMINATING A PROGRAM.
SO THAT IS MY PRESIDENTS REPORT
, AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND
LEAVE THE FLOOR SO WE CAN GO
AHEAD AND TRANSITION INTO OUR
PRESENTATION.
THIS PRESENTATION IS ALLOTTED
TO GO FROM 9:30 A.M.
UNTIL 10:15.
IT IS NOW 9:38.
SO I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
HAND IT OVER TO HER BOLT AND
PETERSON TO GIVE US
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND WE
WILL HAND IT OVER TO THE FOLKS
AT US.TO KICK OFF THE
PRESENTATION.
WE WILL END THIS PRESENTATION
AT ABOUT 10:15 A.M.
THIS MORNING.
>> THANK YOU.
EXCUSE ME, GOOD MORNING. I WANT
TO THANK AS STOP FOR JOINING US
THIS MORNING WITH ANOTHER OF
WHAT WILL BE REGULAR UPDATES TO
THAT COUNSEL.
I KNOW THE FUTURE OF THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE IS ONE OF THE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE,
CONCERNS THAT MY COLLEAGUES
SHARE. I WANT TO ALSO THANK US.
FOR THE TIME THEY SPENT WITH
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON AND I
LAST WEEK TO A VISIT OF THE
BRIDGE THAT HELPED US VISUALIZE
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS, IN
PARTICULAR THE PROBLEM OF THE
LOCKED BEARING.
IN THE BIG PICTURE, MY CONCERNS
ARE OF COURSE ALWAYS FIRST AND
FOREMOST SAFETY, BUT ALSO I
FEEL THAT WE REALLY NEED TO
STATE LASER FOCUSED ON THE NEED
TO MAXIMIZE MOBILITY FOR WEST
SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
WE OFTEN JOKE THAT WEST
SEATTLE, WHICH IS A PENINSULA
FEELS MORE LIKE AN ISLAND
SOMETIMES, AND THAT HAS NEVER
BEEN MORE TRUE THAN NOW.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON, WITH
HIS SHARING OF THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND MY
EFFORTS AS THE REPRESENTATIVE
FOR DISTRICT ONE THAT WE CAN
BRING A REAL SENSE OF URGENCY
TO THE NEED TO AGAIN IDENTIFY
BOTH NOT JUST REAL TIME TRAFFIC
MOBILITY PLANS FOR THIS MOMENT,
BUT ALSO AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT
STAGES AND ALSO WORK TOGETHER
TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT
REPRESENTS THE BEST THOUGHT OUT
OPTIONS AS IT RELATES TO BUDGET
AND MOBILITY.
THE PRESENTATION WE ARE GOING
TO HEAR FROM SDOT IS GOING TO
COVER THE ISSUES RELATED TO
SAFETY PRIORITIZATION, THE
FUTURE OF THE BRIDGE,
STABILIZATION AND SHOWING THE
SCHEDULE FOR THOSE THINGS, THE
CREATION OF A TECHNICAL ADVISORY
PANEL, THEN NEED AGAIN, AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER FOR TRAFFIC
NEGATION, BOTH AS IT RELATES TO
THE LOW BRIDGE TO THE DETOUR
ROUTES AND THE TRANSIT AND THEN
FINALLY THE BUDGET FOR THE
ELEMENTS THAT WE ARE PLANNING
MOVING FORWARD AND BEYOND.
I ALSO WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT
THIS WEDNESDAY FROM 5-6, WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE A DISTRICT ONE
TOWN HALL.
PRESENTERS FROM SDOT ARE BEING
CONFIRMED AND RYAN HAS
GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO MODERATE.
WITH THAT, I TURN IT OVER TO
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON.>> THANK
YOU.
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
JUST WANT TO REINFORCE WHAT THE
COUNCILMEMBER WAS SAYING, THAT
WE WILL BE REALLY FOCUSED ON
SAFETY, URGENCY, MOBILITY WITH
A GENERAL OVERSIGHT ROLE THAT
WE HAVE AS CITY COUNCIL, AND
THIS ALSO BRINGS UP THE
IMPORTANCE IN TERMS OF MOBILITY
AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR
ADIAM EMERY THAT THEY ARE
HAVING A TOUGH TIME RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE OF THIS CLOSURE, JUST
SO YOU KNOW ON TOP OF MIND FOR
ME IS RENEWING THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
SO WE CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
BUS SERVICE TO WEST SEATTLE
RESIDENTS.
WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN
THE COMING WEEKS, BUT I INTEND
TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
COUNCIL MEMBERS, SUPPORT HER
LEADERSHIP FOR HER CONSTITUENTS
AND ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND WE ARE HAPPY
THEY ARE HERE TO GIVE US
ANOTHER REPORTS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS
FREQUENT COMMUNICATION WITH
THEM AND THEIR TRANSPARENCY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO HEAR NOW FROM
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION.
DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE WILL KICK US
OFF.
COLLEAGUES, AS A REMINDER, IF
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN USE
THE CHAT FUNCTION TO JUST TELL
ME YOU HAVE A QUESTION AND BACK
AND LET ME KNOW IF AT WHAT
POINT YOU AND TO ASK A
QUESTION, THAT WOULD BE
HELPFUL.
DO NOT USE THE CHAT FUNCTION
FOR ANYTHING THAT IS
SUBSTANTIVE, DO NOT PUT YOUR
QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT FUNCTION,
JUST USE IT FOR THE TRANSITORY
PURPOSE OF LETTING ME KNOW THAT
YOU ARE RAISING YOUR HAND AND
THEN COUNCILMEMBER WARRANTS,
SINCE YOU ARE NOT ONLINE, IF
YOU HAVE A QUESTION, JUST FEEL
FREE TO PING ME ON MY PHONE AND
LET ME KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A
QUESTION.
WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO HAND
IT OVER TO DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE.
>> THANK YOU.
I WILL SAY THAT I AM GOING TO
WALK THROUGH MOST OF THE
PRESENTATION AND I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO HEATHER, WHO HAS JOINED
ME AS WELL TO TALK ABOUT SOME
OF THE MITIGATION ASPECTS THAT
WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE NOW.
SO LET ME JUST START BY SAYING
THERE IS NEVER A GOOD TIME TO
CLOSE A BRIDGE AND I WANT TO
BRIEFLY THANK EVERYONE AT SDOT
WHO IN THE MIDST OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS CONTINUE TO BE
OUT THERE TAKING THE SAFETY OF
THE TRAVELING PUBLIC FIRST IN
MIND, AND IDENTIFIED
ACCELERATING CLACKING OF THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE, AND THAT
LED US TO THE DIFFICULT
DECISION TO CLOSE ITS BACK ON
MARCH 23.
WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A
MAJOR IMPACT TO PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT SEATTLE, BUT
PARTICULARLY THOSE IN WEST
SEATTLE, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY
AS WE START THIS PRESENTATION,
AS WE CONTINUE TO BE CLEAR AND
TRANSPARENT IN OUR
COMMUNICATIONS OUT WE SHARE
YOUR FRUSTRATION ABOUT WHERE WE
ARE RIGHT NOW, AND I AM A WEST
SEATTLE RESIDENT MYSELF.
MANY OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT
SDOT ARE WEST SEATTLE
RESIDENTS AND WE FEEL THIS
CLOSURE OURSELVES PERSONALLY,
BUT WE ALSO FEEL IT
PROFESSIONALLY, AND WE KNOW
THIS IS ADDING STRESS AND
FRUSTRATION TO PEOPLE AT AN
ALREADY DIFFICULT TIME FOR ALL
OF US.
I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR AS WE
GO THROUGH WHAT IS STILL
CHALLENGING INFORMATION, AND A
LOT OF THINGS WHERE NEED MORE
INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH CLARITY
ON WHERE THINGS WILL GO FROM
HERE, PLEASE KNOW THAT
EVERYBODY AT SDOT, THE MAYOR,
ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AT ALL
LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
TO IDENTIFY THE BEST POSSIBLE
PATH FORWARD AND MITIGATE THE
IMPACTS OF THIS CLOSURE.
I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT HALF
AN HOUR LEFT.
I WILL GO THROUGH QUICKLY THAT
PRESENTATION, AND WE CAN GO ON
TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT LAID OUT
WHAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT .
JUST WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE
LAST FEW WEEKS, WHERE WE ARE IN
THE PROCESS AND THEN WHERE WE
ARE GOING.
SO I WILL JUMP INTO JUST THE
BACKGROUND OF WHAT HAS CHANGED
AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE
JOINING THIS PROCESS A LITTLE
BIT DOWN THE LINE.
WE WERE HERE A WEEK AFTER WE
CLOSED THE BRIDGE ON MARCH 30,
TALKING WITH YOU.
WE ARE NOW BACK A FEW WEEKS
LATER GIVING SOME UPDATES, BUT
WHEN WE PRESENTED ON MARCH 30,
WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS
HERE AND WE HAVE ALSO BEEN
UPDATING OUR DEDICATED WEBSITE
TO THE BRIDGE. IF PEOPLE ARE
JUST CATCHING UP, THERE IS A
LOT OF INFORMATION I WOULD
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE A LOOK
AT.
WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT
DURING OUR FREQUENT INSPECTIONS
OF THE BRIDGE, THERE WAS NO
INDICATION THAT THE BRIDGE WAS
UNSAFE FOR ORDINARY USE OR THAT
IS A TENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
PLANS WOULD IMPACT THE NORMAL
USE OF THE BRIDGE UNTIL
RECENTLY AND THAT STARTED AND
ACCELERATED OVER THE COURSE OF
FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
WE HAVE BEEN INSPECTING THE
BRIDGE EVERY YEAR SINCE 2013 AND
IT REALLY WAS NOT CLEAR UNTIL
RECENTLY THAT IT WOULD IMPACT
THE NORMAL USE OF THE BRIDGE
AND DO SO IN SUCH A DRAMATIC
WAY.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE
AND JUST TO REITERATE, I THINK
WE HAVE ALL SAID IT SO FAR THAT
PRIORITY. AINS OUR NUMBER ONE
IT IS STILL OUR ASSESSMENT, AND
WE HAVE SEEN CRACKS CONTINUE TO
GROW SINCE WE CLOSED THE BRIDGE
TO TRAFFIC, BUT THEY HAD GROWN
AT A DECELERATING RATE.
THEY HAVE NOT CONTINUED TO
ACCELERATE IN THE SAME WAY WE
WERE SEEING WHILE THERE WAS
STILL TRAFFIC ON THE BRIDGE.
IT IS STILL OUR ASSESSMENT THAT
THE BRIDGE IS NOT AT IMMINENT
RISK OF FAILURE, BUT BEFORE
ANYBODY GOES UP ON THE BRIDGE,
BEFORE WE DO DAILY INSPECTIONS,
WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS SAFE
TO CONTINUE TO DO SO AND WE ALSO
KNOW THAT WE NEED TO PLAN FOR
EVERY CONTINGENCY WITH THIS
BRIDGE.
SO WE ARE WORKING NOW TO MODEL
THOSE POTENTIAL CRACKING
SCENARIOS AND PREPARING OUR
CONTINGENCY PLANS IN THE EVENT
THAT WE DO THINK THE BRIDGE IS
AT IMMINENT RISK OF FAILURE.
WE KNOW HOW WE WILL PROCEED IN
AN ORDERLY FASHION.
WE ARE ALSO INSTALLING AND HAVE
PEOPLE UP ON THE BRIDGE RIGHT
NOW, INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS THAT
CAN TRACK THE BRIDGE IN REAL-
TIME.
WE HAVE BEEN INSPECTING THE
BRIDGE EVERY DAY IN PERSON, BUT
THAT IS A MOMENT IN TIME, AND
WE STARTED LAST WEEK AND OVER
THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS, WE WILL BE INSTALLING
SENSORS THROUGHOUT THE BRIDGE
THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND IN REAL-
TIME WHAT IS HAPPENING, PROVIDE
A LOT MORE INFORMATION INTO BUT
IS GOING ON WITH THE
DETERIORATION OF THE BRIDGE AND
THAT INFORMS OUR EMERGENCY
PLANNING AND ALSO OUR FUTURE
PLANNING AND HELPS US HAVE THE
INFORMATION NECESSARY TO KNOW
WHAT TYPE OF REPAIR IS POSSIBLE
AND WHETHER THE BRIDGE IS
DETERIORATING MORE QUICKLY THAN
WE THINK RIGHT NOW.
OUR SAFETY MANAGEMENT IS BASED
ON A WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
WE WILL ALWAYS PLAN FOR THE
WORST CASE, HOPING WE DO NOT
GET THERE, BUT BEING PREPARED
IN THE EVENT WE DO, AND WE
CONTINUE, THIS INFORMATION WE
ARE GOING TO GET FROM REAL-TIME
MONITORING SYSTEMS THAT WILL
HELP US UNDERSTAND AND HAVE AS
MUCH LEAD TIME AS POSSIBLE IF
THINGS START TO GO TOWARDS
FAILURE.
PART OF THAT IS ALSO OUTREACH
TO OTHER LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS,
THE PORT, THE COAST GUARD,
ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, THAT
IS BEGINNING NOW.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT POTENTIAL
FAILURES WOULD LOOK LIKE AND
HOW WE KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE
OVERALL.
WE CAN MOVE ON. I WANT TO
REITERATE AGAIN THAT THE FUTURE
OF THE BRIDGE RIGHT NOW REMAINS
UNCERTAIN.
>> HOLD ON A MINUTE.
WE HAVE A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
I THINK IT IS LESS OF A
QUESTION AND MORE OF A RAISING
OF AN ISSUE.
I APPRECIATE DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE,
I, FOCUS ON SAFETY AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS,
CONTINGENCY PLANS TO ADDRESS
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO OF
BRIDGE COLLAPSE.
ONE OF THE MESSAGES THAT YOU
SENT OUT OVER THE WEEKEND
RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE
PLANS THAT YOU ARE DEVELOPING
IN CASE AREAS AROUND THE
HIGHBRIDGE AND YOU SAY AND NOT
EMAIL THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO
REMOVE TRAFFIC FROM THE LOW
BRIDGE AND SURROUNDING AREAS
UNDERNEATH. THE BRIDGE, FOR
SOME PERIOD OF TIME IN THE EVENT
THAT THE HIGHRIDGE BRIDGE
BECOMES UNSTABLE.
OF COURSE, AS YOU RIGHTLY KNOW,
THIS AFFECTS EVERYBODY
TRAVELING AROUND THE BRIDGE IS,
THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK NEAR
THE STRUCTURES AND OUR TEAM TO
WORK ON THE BRIDGE ITSELF.
I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS A
NECESSARY PART OF CONTINGENCY
PLANNING.
I WANT TO ALSO FLAG THAT I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU WILL
BE DELIVERING A REPORT ON FIRST
RESPONDER CAPABILITY TO ADDRESS
FIRE NEEDS AND THIS TIME AND I
WANT TO FLAG THAT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT THE IMPACTS ON
PRIOR TO SEARCHING 36 IS NEAR
THE BRIDGE BE A PART OF THIS
CONTINGENCY PLANNING AS WELL,
SHOULD THERE BE A NEED IN A
WORST-CASE SCENARIO TO CLOSE
THE LOWER LEVEL BRIDGE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT POINTS,
AND THE CHIEF AND I ARE IN A
REGULAR CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
BRIDGE AND ABOUT OUR WORK ON IT
AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED
TALKING ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE
CHALLENGES ARE THAT THEY FACE.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HIGHLY
INVOLVED IN OUR CONTINGENCY
PLANNING AND THERE IS BOTH NOT
ONLY FOR THE AREA IMMEDIATELY
AROUND THE BRIDGE, BUT SOME OF
THE OTHER DETOUR ROUTES AND
AREAS WHERE THEY WILL SEE SOME
INCREASED TRAFFIC AS A RESULT
OF THE HIGHBRIDGE CLOSER, ALSO
IMPACT OTHER STATIONS BEYOND
JUST 36, BUT THAT IS VERY
TIGHTLY BEING COORDINATED.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
I AM ADDING A REQUEST, AND I
UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I HAVE HAD
COMMUNICATIONS THAT THEY ARE
DOING THAT WORK AS IT RELATES
TO THE CURRENT SITUATION ON THE
GROUND, AND DOING AN ASSESSMENT
OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY
TO ADDRESS EMERGENCIES. WHAT I
AM ASKING IS WILL THAT WORK
ALSO BE DONE AS IT RELATES TO
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO?
THE LOWER LEVEL BRIDGE?
>> IT IS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK WE WERE STARTING ON
THE FUTURE OF THE BRIDGE
REMAINING UNCERTAIN AND I THINK
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT
HERE, AND WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR
WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONSISTENT
COMMUNICATION EVEN WHEN WE DO
NOT HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION
WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE FULL
RANGE OF ANSWERS THAT PEOPLE
ARE LOOKING FOR.
WE DO NOT YET KNOW IF THE
REPAIR OF THE BRIDGE IS FEASIBLE
FROM A TECHNICAL OR FINANCIAL
PERSPECTIVE.
IF IT IS FEASIBLE, WE THINK IT
COULD PROVIDE UP TO 10 YEARS OF
ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO THE BRIDGE
BUT IN EITHER CASE, WE THINK WE
NEED TO REPLACE THE REST
SEATTLE HIGHRIDGE BRIDGE MUCH
SOONER. THIS WAS INFORMATION WE
SHARED LAST WEEK, BUT WE THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REITERATE.
WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE TRAFFIC
RETURNING TO THE BRIDGE IN 2020
OR 2021 AT THIS POINT.
THERE IS A FEW STAGES OF WHAT
IT WILL TAKE TO EXTEND THE LIFE
OF THE BRIDGE AND BRING TRAFFIC
BACK, AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
EACH OF THOSE BECAUSE I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC
TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF
SOME OF THIS WORK, BUT ALSO
WHAT WE ARE DOING OVER THE
COURSE OF THE NEXT COUPLE OF
YEARS.
SO NO MATTER WHAT IS DECIDED
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE WEST
SEATTLE HIGHBRIDGE, SHORING AND
STABILIZATION OF THE BRIDGE HAS
TO HAPPEN TO PRESERVE THE
INTEGRITY OF THE BRIDGE AND
PROTECT THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE
CONTINUED GROWTH OF CRACKS AND
THE CRACKS HAVE CONTINUED TO
GROW EVEN AFTER WE HAVE REMOVED
LIVE LOAD FROM THE BRIDGE, AND
STABILIZE IT TO PROVIDE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION.
NONE OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE
DOING NOW PRECLUDES ANY CHOICE
THAT WE MAKE IN TERMS OF HOW WE
THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE
BRIDGE, BUT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
PURPOSES, WE NEED TO CONTINUE
WITH STABILIZATION AND
SHORTENING OF THE BRIDGE.
RIGHT NOW, I MENTIONED WE HAVE
BEEN DOING FIELD INSPECTIONS.
WE ARE INSTALLING THE
INSTRUMENTATION HARDWARE,
PROVIDES US REAL-TIME ALERTS.
WE ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING I
WILL TALK ABOUT ABOUT THE
RELEASE OF TENSION AND A
BEARING AT PIER 18.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT
MEANS, THEN WE WILL BEGIN ON
REPAIR OF SHORING AND REPAIR
AND BRING TOGETHER WHAT HERBOLT
SAID EARLIER, PEER REVIEW,
SOME OUTSIDE EXPERTS ON THE
TECHNICAL SIDE THAT CAN HELP
US, HELP ALL OF US UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS GOING ON AND BEST WAYS
TO MOVE FORWARD.
LATER THIS SUMMER WE WOULD BEGIN
TO ADDRESS THE BEARING ISSUE AT
PIER 18 AND BEGIN PROCUREMENT
OF SHORING MATERIALS.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, EVERYTHING
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS
THROUGH THE SHORING PERIOD.
AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE ARE
DOING MORE OF THAT WORK, WE
WILL HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT REPAIR IS
POSSIBLE, WHAT OUR PATHWAY
TOWARDS REPAIR WOULD LOOK LIKE,
BUT ALSO BE CONSIDERING WHAT
THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE
BRIDGE IS AND WHETHER EARLY
REPLACEMENT IS A MORE FREQUENT
PATH.
>> BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, WE HAD A
QUESTION ABOUT SLIDE SIX.
>> YOU ARE SO ON MUTE.
>> WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS
THAT ALL OF THE ITEMS ON THIS
SCHEDULE UP THROUGH EARLY SPRING
2021 MUST BE COMPLETED
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE
ARE GOING TO REPAIR THIS BRIDGE
OR REBUILD IT.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. I THINK WE
NEED TO BUILD ON THE PATHWAY
THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED
TO HAPPEN. AT THE SAME TIME AS
WE ARE DOING SOME OF THE DESIGN
WORK AROUND SHORING, WE WILL
HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
WHETHER AND IF REPAIR IS
POSSIBLE, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
OUR LONG-TERM FUTURE IS AND
WHETHER EARLY REPLACEMENT,
WHETHER PASSING OVER A REPAIR
STEP AND JUST THINKING ABOUT
REPLACEMENT IS A MORE PRUDENT
PATH.
SO THIS IS NOT A FIXED SET OF
ACTIVITIES.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
THIS IS OUR CURRENT BEST
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE BRING
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC BACK TO THE
BRIDGE IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE
TIMEFRAME.
>> THANK YOU.
SO SPRING FOR HAVING A BETTER
IDEA OF WHETHER OR NOT REPAIR
OR REPLACEMENT IS THE PATH, AND
ALTHOUGH IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE
YOU ARE STILL SAYING THAT WE
NEED TO DEAL WITH THE LOCK
BEARING AND SHORING, IT IS THE
ACTIVITIES BEYOND THAT AS IT
RELATES TO REPAIR THAT ARE IN
QUESTION.
THE REASON I RAISE THIS IS I
AND SURPRISED THAT THE NUMBER
OF CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE BEEN
CONTACT ME AND SAYING DO NOT
SPEND THE $33 MILLION LESS
REBUILD, LET'S MOVE TOWARDS
REBUILDING THE BRIDGE NOW, BUT
WHAT I HEAR YOU SAY IS THAT WE
HAVE TO SPEND THAT $33 MILLION
EITHER WAY.
>> I THINK, SO THIS IS A VERY
COMPLICATED SET OF ISSUES AND
DECISIONS THAT I DO NOT THINK
WE WANT TO RUSH INTO.
>> I'M SORRY, DO WE HAVE TO DO
THE SHORING CONSTRUCTION OR
NOT?
>> WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE
BRIDGE IS STABLE AND IT IS A
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, SO WE WILL
DO EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO
DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BRIDGE
IS STABLE.
IF WE DECIDE, IF WE DETERMINE
AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS
THAT IT IS NOT TECHNICALLY
FEASIBLE OR FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE
TO STABILIZE THE BRIDGE, OR TO
REPAIR THE BRIDGE, WE CAN, IF
ALL OF THAT THINKING ABOUT
WHERE WE GO AND WHAT WE DO. I
ALSO WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR WE
DID NOT HAVE THE BUDGET THAT WE
WILL TALK ABOUT TOWARDS THE END
OF THE PRESENTATION.
IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY
ANTICIPATE ANY DEMOLITION OF
THE BRIDGE.
SO IF WE WERE TO GO IN A PATH
WE DID NOT DO A PLAYSTATION OF
THE BRIDGE, THERE ARE A LOT OF
POTENTIAL BUDGETARY
IMPLICATIONS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY SHOWING WHAT
OUR BEST PATH FORWARD IS RIGHT
NOW TO BRING TRAFFIC BACK TO
THE BRIDGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AS WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION, WE
WILL UPDATE THAT THINKING AND
UPDATE THE PUBLIC AND THE
COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT THOSE
DECISIONS ARE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I KNOW WE ARE STARTING TO RUN
A LITTLE BIT LOW ON TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO, JUST I WILL
TRY TO GO THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS
I CAN SOME OF THE TECHNICAL
INFORMATION AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE CONDITION OF THE BRIDGE
BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD SOME OF
THE SAME CONCERNS ABOUT WHY WE
ARE DOING THE WORK NOW TO
STABILIZE IT.
I THINK SOME OF WHAT WE CAN
TALK ABOUT HELPS EXPLAIN THAT.
LIKE I SAID, WE, OUR FIRST STEP
IS TO SLOW OR HALT THE BRIDGE
DETERIORATION AND THERE IS MORE
INFORMATION HERE.
WE STILL SEE CRACKS GROWING.
I WILL MOVE ON TO TALKING ABOUT
ONE THING WE THINK IS AFFECTING
THE CONDITION OF THE BRIDGE,
WHICH IS ON SLIDE EIGHT, AND
THAT IS A LATERAL BEARING THAT
IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE
BRIDGE, AND THE BRIDGE HAS FOUR
SETS OF COLUMNS THAT CARRY
THREE SPANS AND THIS IS AT THE
EASTERN SIDE THAT WE HAVE A
LATERAL BEARING THAT IS A PIECE
OF THE BRIDGE THAT SITS BETWEEN
THE ROADWAY AND THE SUPPORT
COLUMNS THAT HOLD UP THE BRIDGE
AND IT ALLOWS THE BRIDGE TO
MOVE IN RESPONSE TO THERMAL
EXPANSION, TO TRAFFIC, TO
NORMAL CHANGES IN CONCRETE
SHRINKAGE OVER THE COURSE OF
TIME, AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS
THAT ONE OF THE BEARINGS, THERE
IS A PICTURE HERE ON THIS SLIDE
IS COMPRESSED AND IS HOLDING
OUT AND CREATING ADDITIONAL
PRESSURE THAT AFFECTS THE WHOLE
OF THE BRIDGE.
SO OUR FIRST STEP HERE IS TO
UNLOCK THAT PRESSURE ON THE
BRIDGE, AND THIS COLUMN IS PIER
18 AND THAT IS ON THE EASTERN
SIDE, AS I MENTIONED OF THE
FOUR SETS OF COLUMNS AND PEERS,
THE PIECES OF THE BRIDGE ON TOP
OF THE COLUMNS, AND THIS IS ON
THE EAST SIDE. THE TWO PEERS IN
THE CENTER 16 AND 17 ARE THE
ONES THAT HOLD THE HIGH SPAN,
THE CENTERPIECE OF THE HIGH
SPAN AND WHERE WE HAVE SEEN
CRACKING PRIMARILY ON THE HIGH
BRIDGE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT
WE ARE WE HAVE SEEN ON THIS
SLIDE.
SOME OF THE TENSION SEEMS TO BE
GENERATED FOR THE BEARING ON
PIER 18.
OUR FIRST DEPTH IS TO REPLACE
THAT BEARING AND WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THE BRIDGE IS STABLE
ENOUGH TO DO THAT.
THAT INVOLVES JACKING THE
BRIDGE UP SLIGHTLY SO THE PEER,
THE BEARING CAN BE REPLACED AND
THAT IS SOME CHALLENGING WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
PEERS 18 AND 15 ARE THE TWO
PIECES THAT CONNECT THE HIGH
BRIDGE TO THE REST OF THE
STRUCTURE, THE STRUCTURE THAT
GOES ALONG SPOKANE ON THE EAST
SIDE, AND THE WEST SEATTLE
FREEWAY EXPRESSWAY THAT GOES UP
TO THE WEST SIDE. SO THIS IS
STILL, THESE ARE STILL
IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE BRIDGE
AND THEY ARE WHERE THE LOAD IS
TRANSFERRED AND FORM PART OF
THE UNIT THAT SUPPORTS THAT
AREA AS WELL.
ONCE THAT WORK IS DONE, THEN WE
WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF
SHORING THE BRIDGE TO FURTHER
STABILIZE IT.
I WILL REITERATE, WE ARE STILL
AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS,
WORKING TOGETHER TO GET MORE
INFORMATION.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE MORE
INSTRUMENTATION BEING INSTALLED
TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THESE
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER AND HOW
WE THINK ABOUT PROCEEDING.
THIS IS OUR CURRENT BEST
UNDERSTANDING AND BEST CASE
SCENARIO OF HOW WE WORK ON THE
BRIDGE.
SHORING MEANS ADDING TEMPORARY
SUPPORT THAT PRESERVES THE
INTEGRITY OF THE BRIDGE, AND WE
THINK THAT BY THE MIDDLE OF
THIS YEAR, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
DESIGN HOW THIS WOULD WORK, AND
PROCURE THE MATERIALS FOR HOW
TO MAKE THESE STABILIZATION
REPAIRS TO THE WHOLE OF THE
BRIDGE AND BEGIN THOSE REPAIRS
LATER THIS YEAR.
ONCE WE HAVE THAT SHORING IN
PLACE, WE WOULD BEGIN THE
PROCESS OF REPAIR CONSTRUCTION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
CLEAR THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF
ELEMENTS OF UNCERTAINTY, AND
THIS GOES TO HERBOLT'S
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER AND
HOW WE THINK ABOUT STABILIZATION
, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT
MAKES FURTHER REPAIR FEASIBLE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER REPAIR
WILL REQUIRE PERMITS THAT
IMPACT ON THE NAVIGATION
CHANNEL.
WE NEED TO DESIGN THE PROCESS
OF HOW TO DO THE CONSTRUCTION
AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
SPECIAL APPLICATION OR
EQUIPMENT SHORING AND REPAIR
WILL REQUIRE, WHETHER THERE ARE
, WHAT THE LEADTIMES ON THOSE
ARE, AND WE DON'T STILL KNOW
WHETHER REPAIR IS FEASIBLE
TECHNICALLY OR FINANCIALLY, AND
AGAIN, WE SHARE EVERYONE'S
FRUSTRATION AND CONCERN ABOUT
NOT KNOWING ALL THE INFORMATION
THAT WE NEED TO KNOW AT THIS
POINT AND I SURE EVERYBODY WE
ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS WE
CAN TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THESE
QUESTIONS.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHETHER
REPAIR IS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE AT VERY EARLY STAGES,
THEY ARE PRESENT OF DESIGN AND
EACH STEP WILL IMPACT WHAT IS
FEASIBLE AND HOW LONG IT WILL
TAKE.
WE THINK THAT IF REPAIR IS
POSSIBLE, IT COULD ADD ANOTHER
10 YEARS OF LIFE TO THE BRIDGE,
BUT THERE IS A LOT THAT IS
STILL UNKNOWN.
WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT 10
YEARS IS SORT OF A GUIDELINE TO
DETAILS ABOUT HOW WE THINK
ABOUT STABILIZATION AND REPAIR
WILL AFFECT THAT ADDITIONAL LIFE
THAT WE COULD PROVIDE FOR THE
BRIDGE.
BRIEFLY, THEN I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO HEATHER TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT WE ARE DOING FROM A NON-
BRIDGE PERSPECTIVE TO MITIGATE
IMPACTS ON THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY, AS PART OF THIS,
THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED
BRIDGE.
WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM OF EXPERTS
AS PART OF OUR DESIGN TEAM, BUT
WE THINK THERE IS ADDITIONAL
EXPERTISE WE CAN BRING TO BEAR
FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE
THAT CAN HELP MAKE SURE WE ARE
LOOKING DOWN EVERY POSSIBLE
AVENUE FOR HOW TO THINK ABOUT
STABILIZATION REPAIR,
REPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGE THAT
CAN HELP US, HELP INFORM BOTH
OUR OWN IN THE PUBLIC
UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE GO
WITH THE BRIDGE.
SO WE ARE WORKING TO GET A
TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL FORMED
THAT WILL BE MADE UP OF EXPERTS
FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FOCUS
ON BRIDGE DESIGN, GEOTECHNCAL
EXPERTISE, MARITIME WORK, ALL
ASPECTS OF WHAT THE STRUCTURAL
ASPECTS OF THE BRIDGE WILL TAKE
THAT WILL HELP CONTINUE TO
INFORM OUR THINKING GOING
FORWARD.
SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
HEATHER TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE
ARE ON TRAFFIC MEDICATIONS.>>
BEFORE YOU DO THAT, WE HAVE
ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT SLIDE
13.
THANKS.
>> AS IT RELATES TO THE
TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL AND
THE SCOPE OF THEIR ADVISORY
AUTHORITY, ARE THEY GOING TO BE
MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE
TO PROCEED WITH SHORING OR WITH
REPAIR, JUST TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE THEIR ADVICE IS GOING
TO BE SOUGHT, AT WHAT STAGE, AND
WHAT WE CAN EXPECT.>> SO WE
HAVE NOT SENT OUT INVITATIONS
TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL
AS OF NOW.
I THINK SOME OF THAT SCOPE OF
EXACTLY WHERE THEY WILL BE
PROVIDING INPUT IS TO BE
DETERMINED.
I THINK OUR SENTENCE IS REALLY
ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE THAT CAN
HELP US MAKE SURE WE ARE
LOOKING DOWN EVERY POSSIBLE
AVENUE.
I DO NOT ANTICIPATE THEY WILL
HAVE -- I THINK THEY WILL BE
MORE OF A SOUNDING BOARD THAT A
RECOMMENDING BODY, BUT I THINK
WE WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM GIVE
US IDEAS OF CREATIVE SOLUTIONS,
MAKE SURE IF WE ARE THINKING OF
EVERY POSSIBLE CHALLENGE OR
ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO BE
THINKING OF EARLY SO WE DON'T
GO DOWN A PATHWAY THAT THEN WE
REALIZE IS NOT SUSTAINABLE OR
FEASIBLE.
>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
THANK YOU.
I AM HEATHER AND I WORK AT SDOT
NORMALLY AS THE DIRECTOR OF
DOWNTOWN MOBILITY.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT I LIVE IN
WEST SEATTLE, SO I AM FAMILIAR
WITH THE DIFFICULTIES THIS
CLOSURE IS CAUSING.
CLOSING WEST SEATTLE HIGH
BRIDGE HAS A SIMILAR LEVEL OF
COMPLEXITY AS CLOSING THE BILE
DUCT.
SIMILAR LEVELS OF TRAFFIC EACH
AND EVERY DAY, BUT WITH A LOT
FEWER REROUTE CHOICES AND WE
HAVE HAD A LOT LESS TIME TO
PLAN.
RIGHT NOW, THE LOW BRIDGE IS
RESTRICTED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE
DRIVING EMERGENCY VEHICLES,
FREIGHT AND PUBLIC TRANSIT AS
WELL AS FOLKS WHO ARE RIDING
THEIR BIKE OR WALKING ALONG THE
PUBLIC PATH.
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
HELPING WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT.
ANYBODY NEEDS TO GET TO HARBOR
ISLAND CAN ACCESS THAT ACROSS
THE EAST CHANNEL BRIDGE, SO
APPROACHING HARBOR ISLAND FROM
THE EAST.
I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON PLEASE.
AS I THINK WE HAVE MENTIONED A
FEW TIMES, WE HAVE INSTALLED A
SIGNAL AT HIGHLAND PARKWAY IN
HOLDEN TO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF
THE ISSUES OF USING HIGHLAND
PARKWAY AS A DETOUR. WE HAVE
ALSO ADDED DETOUR ROUTE SIGNAGE
UP TO THE FIRST AVENUE BRIDGE
AND WE CAN PROVE THAT, IN FACT
WE ARE IMPROVING ALL OF THOSE
DETOUR SIGNAGE IS CONTINUALLY
AS WE RECEIVE INPUT AND SEE HOW
THINGS ARE WORKING.
THE SIGNALS AT THE FIVE WAY
INTERSECTION DOWN NEAR TERMINAL
FIVE HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO OUR
CITYWIDE SYSTEM SO WE CAN
ADJUST SIGNAL TIMING AS NEEDED
REMOTELY. IN ADDITION, NEXT
WEEKEND WE WILL REPAY THAT
INTERSECTION AND ADD SOME
ADDITIONAL AMENITIES SO THAT IT
OPERATES A LITTLE BIT BETTER,
JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE
WHEN WE REPAY THAT INTERSECTION
NEXT WEEKEND, IT WILL LIMIT
ACCESS.
SO PEOPLE SHOULD PLAN AROUND
THAT.
WE HAVE PLANS TO FIX POTHOLES,
SMOOTH AND SIGN THE ALTERNATIVE
ROUTES SO THAT THOSE
ALTERNATIVES CAN OPERATE AS WELL
AS THEY CAN.
WE ARE IDENTIFYING MORE
MEASURES.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE I THINK
HERE THAT THE CURRENT DETOUR
AND ALTERNATE ROUTES CANNOT
SUPPORT THE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC
THAT WE HAD BEFORE THE STAY AT
HOME ORDER, AND SO AS WE
CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH
THE PUBLIC, WE ARE GOING TO
HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT WE
REALLY DO NEED TO CHANGE SOME
WAYS ABOUT HOW WE GET IN AND
OUT TO WEST SEATTLE.
AND TO THAT END, WE ARE WORKING
WITH OUR PARTNERS TO KEEP BUSES
MOVING IN AND OUT OF SEATTLE AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE. HERBOLT WANTED
TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS IS BOTH SLIDE 14 AND 15.
AS IT RELATES TO THE LOWER
LEVEL BRIDGE, UNDERSTANDING
THAT THAT BRIDGE CANNOT SUPPORT
ALL OF THE TRAFFIC, EVEN WITH
THESE REDUCED TRAFFIC VOLUMES
THAT USED TO BE HELD BY THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE, THE HIGH
NUMBERS AT THE LOWER LEVEL
BRIDGE WAS CARRYING WAS AROUND
16,000. THE LAST SET OF NUMBERS
I HAVE WERE FROM APRIL 8 AND
NINTH AND THAT WAS RIGHT WHEN
SPD, THE EIGHTH IS THE DAY
BEFORE SPD STARTED ENFORCEMENT
AND THE NINTH, THEY BEGAN AN
EDUCATIONAL ENFORCEMENT AND
THAT WAS 8000.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE, THAT WAS
NEARLY 2 WEEKS AGO, I WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE TRAFFIC
COUNTS ARE ON THE LOWER BRIDGE
NOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME
SUSTAINED ENFORCEMENT BY SPD.>>
THANK YOU.
WE ARE SEEING THOSE SAME
NUMBERS, BUT OBSERVATIONALLY,
WE ALSO SEE THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IS OUT THERE
ENFORCING GENERALLY DURING THE
PEAK TIMES, THEY SLIDE IT
AROUND A LITTLE BIT TO KEEP IT
REAL, BUT WHEN THERE IS NOT
ENFORCEMENT, THE VIOLATIONS OF
THAT REQUEST ARE SUBSTANTIAL.
AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO IMPRESS
UPON PEOPLE THE IMPORTANCE OF
KEEPING THAT BRIDGE OPENED AND
AVAILABLE PARTICULARLY FOR
EMERGENCY SERVICES,
PARTICULARLY DURING THIS PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS.
SO FOLKS WHO ARE USING THE LOW
BRIDGE, PLEASE, I UNDERSTAND,
BELIEVE ME I UNDERSTAND HOW
INCONVENIENT THIS IS, BUT
PLEASE DO CONSIDER USING
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES AT ALL TIMES
BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT AMBULANCES CAN GET IN AND
OUT OF THE PENINSULA.
>> DON'T JUST CONSIDER USING
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES, DON'T USE
THE LOWER LEVEL BRIDGE.
YOU CAN GET A TICKET RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING
TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME RELAXATION
OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS FOR
EMERGENCY WORKERS AND FOR OFF
TIME COMMUTES, LIKE AT NIGHT,
BUT I ONLY DO SO IF YOU GUYS
SEE DRASTICALLY REDUCED VOLUMES
OF TRAFFIC ON THE LOWER LEVEL
BRIDGE.
IF ANYBODY IS LISTENING, STOP
USING THE LOWER LEVEL BRIDGE.
>> YOU CAN BE MORE DIRECT.
YOU CAN BE MORE DIRECT THAN I
CAN.
STOP IT.
IT IS NOT HELPING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT LINE OF
QUESTIONING.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
REMIND FOLKS THAT IT IS NOT
JUST A SOFT SUGGESTION TO AVOID
USING THE LOW BRIDGE.
IT IS AN ABSOLUTE NEED TO AVOID
USING THE LOWER BRIDGE AND
WHILE WE APPRECIATE THAT CREATES
CONVENIENCE, I AM A WEST
SEATTLE RESIDENT, I THINK WE
HAVE A VERY STRONG FORUM JUST
ON THIS CALL OF WEST
SEATTLEITES, BUT I DO THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT FOR US, FOR THE
INTEGRITY OF OUR CITYWIDE
PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM AND FOR
THE PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM AS A
WHOLE OF DISTRICT 1 TO MAKE
SURE THAT FOLKS STAY OFF THE
LOW BRIDGE UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO
COME UP WITH SOME SAFER
ALTERNATIVES, PERHAPS SOME
CATEGORIES OF EXEMPTIONS FOR
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS, BUT I WANT
TO ECHO THE FORCEFULNESS OF
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT'S POINT
AROUND AVOIDING THE USE OF THE
LOWER BRIDGE UNTIL FURTHER
NOTICE.
I KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA HAS A QUESTION OR
COMMENT, SO I WILL GIVE THE
FLOOR TO HER.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO AGAIN THANK DIRECTOR
ZIMBABWE.
I KNOW WE HAD A CHANCE TO CHAT
BRIEFLY, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE
THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC
REDUCTION IN THE FLOW OF
TRAFFIC AS FOLKS MAY KNOW.
I LIVE JUST AROUND THE CORNER,
SO THIS IS PART OF MY WALKING
ROUTE TO GO ON THE LOWER BRIDGE
OFTEN, AND JUST SEEING IT THIS
MORNING, THE POLICE OFFICERS
WERE DOWN THERE REDIRECTING
TRAFFIC, AND I COULD SEE
EMERGENCY VEHICLES MOVING
FREQUENTLY, SO THAT IS
APPRECIATED.
A DRASTIC DIFFERENCE FROM TWO
MONDAYS AGO.
I WANT TO PING YOU ALL AGAIN
ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT
CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HUMAN
SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE FOLKS
WHO WORK AT DES MIGHT BE ABLE
TO GET A SPECIAL OKAY TO GO ON
THAT LOWER BRIDGE, PERHAPS THAT
WEAVES INTO THE COMMENT ABOUT
NEEDING TO SEE A REDUCTION IN
INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO GET ON
THAT BRIDGE.
I NOTICED THE SIGNAGE NOW SAYS
I DO NOT ENTER FOR BUS AND
COMMERCE VEHICLES ONLY, WHICH I
THINK IS A DIRECT SIGN AND
DIRECT MANDATE TO PEOPLE TO NOT
GET ONTO THE BRIDGE.
CAN YOU REMIND US WHAT THE
PROCESS IS AND THE TIMEFRAME
FOR ALLOWING HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS AND HOMELESS SERVICES
OR HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS TO
HAVE AN ACCEPTANCE TO GO ON
THAT BRIDGE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AS
WE TRY TO MINIMIZE TRAFFIC ON
THE LOW BRIDGE.
WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY RIGHT
NOW WITH THE PORT OF SEATTLE
AND BUSINESSES, ESSENTIAL
BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE DOWN IN
THE VICINITY OF THE LOW BRIDGE
AND TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER
OR NOT THERE TIME PERIODS WHEN
WE CAN RELAX OUR RESTRICTIONS.
THE DIFFICULTY IS OF COURSE ONE
OF NUMBERS.
SO AS WE RELAX RESTRICTIONS, IT
BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT
TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS KIND OF
WORKER IS MORE ESSENTIAL THAN
THAT KIND OF WORKER. ONE OF THE
THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED FROM
THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IS
THAT WE GOT A LOT OF ESSENTIAL
PEOPLE AND SO WE ARE ACTIVELY
ENGAGED IN THIS CONVERSATION,
AND I THINK ONE OF THE
DIFFICULTIES FOR HEALTHCARE
WORKERS AND FOR HUMAN SERVICE
WORKERS IS JUST FIGURING OUT
THE NUMBERS. BECAUSE WE DO HAVE
ACTUAL REAL IMITATIONS ABOUT
HOW MUCH TRAFFIC BELOW BRIDGE
CAN HANDLE.
WE CAN IDENTIFY TO THE EXTENT
THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WORKERS
AND SORT OF DO THE ARITHMETIC
TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY WE CAN
FIT, THAT IS ONE THING, BUT
JUST TRYING TO SPECULATE ABOUT
WHO IN WEST SEATTLE IS A
DOCTOR, NURSE, OR SOCIAL WORKER
IS A DIFFICULT CALCULUS.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE.
ONE QUICK FOLLOW-UP.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF
THE TIME, 10:20 2 AM, AND WE
HAVE A RATHER ROBUST
CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF
COMMITTEE REPORTS THIS
AFTERNOON.
SO I WILL ENCOURAGE US TO MOVE
ALONG AFTER THE QUESTION SO
THAT WE CAN AVOID BEING HERE
UNTIL ONE.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR THAT REPORT BACK.
APPRECIATE THE UPDATES AS YOU
CONSIDER WHAT THE NUMBERS MAY
OR MAY NOT BE.
A QUICK PSA, I WANT TO REMIND
FOLKS, PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU
HEARD OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO
DOCUMENT THAT ESSENTIAL WORKERS
NEED TO HAVE ON THEM AT THIS
POINT.
WE HAVE HEARD REPORTS, AND I
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT AND THE
COMMITTEE AS WELL THAT WE HAVE
HEARD REPORTS OF POLICE OFFICERS
PULLING PEOPLE OVER AND ASKING
FOR THEIR ESSENTIAL WORKERS
PERMIT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING PEOPLE
ARE BEING ASKED FOR, AND I
DON'T THINK IT RELATES TO THE
LOWER BRIDGE AS PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN PULLED OVER FOR
INCORRECTLY ACCESSING THE
BRIDGE.
AS A CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT WE
HAVE OTHERS ACCESS THAT BRIDGE,
WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU
ALL ABOUT WHAT KIND OF
DOCUMENTATION THAT MAY OR MAY
NOT BE BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT
THAT TO BE AN EXCUSE FOR FOLKS
TO GET PULLED OVER.
WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH
MORE INFORMATION, BUT THAT WAS
A QUICK PSA.
THERE IS NOT A DOCUMENT NEEDED,
CORRECT?>> THIS IS A GOOD
QUESTION, AND YES. THERE IS A
VERY SMALL NUMBER, VERY SMALL
NUMBER OF ILWU WORKERS WHO ARE
DISPATCHED FROM THEIR UNION
HALL ON EAST MARGINAL WAY AND
BECAUSE OF THE SPEED WITH WHICH
THEY HAVE TO ARRIVE AT TERMINAL
FIVE, THEY ARE ALLOWED RIGHT NOW
, I KNOW THIS IS PROBLEMATIC,
SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH
THAT FOR A SECOND, THEY HAVE
MORE OF A PLACARD THAT JUST SAYS
THAT THEY ARE AND ILWU WORKER
THAT HAS BEEN DISPATCHED AND
GOING TO TERMINAL FIVE.
SDOT SHARES YOUR CONCERN BOTH
DIRECT AND INDIRECT ABOUT
REQUIRING PEOPLE TO HAVE ANY
KIND OF PASS, AND NOT JUST FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS REASONS, BUT ALSO
BECAUSE THERE IS NO PLACE TO
PULL PEOPLE OVER AND CHECK.
SO RIGHT NOW, IT IS A TINY
NUMBER OF WORKERS WHO ARE USING
THAT.
IT IS NOT A PATH, IT IS A
PLACARD THAT SHOULD INDICATE TO
POLICEMAN AT A GLANCE THAT THEY
ARE AUTHORIZED TO USE THE
BRIDGE.
DOES THAT CLARIFY?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> YOU ARE WELCOME.
LET ME SAY WE ARE WORKING WITH
KING COUNTY METRO VERY
THOROUGHLY, SO JUST IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL HAND
IT BACK TO SAM AND HE CAN TALK
ABOUT OUR ORDER OF MAGNITUDE
BUDGET.>> I WILL JUST ITERATE
WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL SORTS
OF TRANSIT PARTNERS ON
DEVELOPING CONTINGENCY PLANS
AND TRANSIT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE
PLACES THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS HAS ALSO HIT THE HARDEST
IN TERMS OF MAKING DAY-TO-DAY
DECISIONS BASED ON THE HEALTH
OF THEIR WORKFORCE AND MADE IT
CHALLENGING TO THINK ABOUT IT,
EVEN HOW WE MOVE INTO RECOVERY
AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD FROM
TRANSIT ROUTE THE REGION KNOWING
IT IS STILL ESSENTIAL TO OUR
SUCCESS AS A CITY AND AS A
REGION, BUT SOME OF THOSE PLANS
WILL CONTINUE TO EMERGE AS WE
WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN A
TIME WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO
MANAGE THE DAY-TO-DAY AS WELL.
WE DID WANT TO SPEND A BRIEF
TIME ON WHAT OUR ORDER OF
MAGNITUDE BUDGET IS ASSURING,
ESPECIALLY HEARING THE
QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN
ABOUT IS THIS MONEY WORTH IT,
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS
DOLLAR FIGURE THAT WE ARE
SHOWING HERE IS STILL VERY
EARLY IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
THROUGH STABILIZATION AND REPAIR
AND POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT AS
WELL, AND SOME OF THESE COSTS
ARE THE COSTS RELATED TO
SHORTING CONSTRUCTION AS WE
KNOW IT NOW, ON THE ORDER OF
$50 MILLION.
SO MOST OF THE OTHER COST HERE
WE ARE SHOWING IN TERMS OF
ORDER OF MAGNITUDE NEED TO BE
DONE REGARDLESS OF WHAT OUR
PATH FORWARD IS.
WE THINK SHORTING IS NECESSARY
ON THE REPAIR PATHWAY, BUT BOTH
THE INSTALLATION OF MONITORING
EQUIPMENT, THE DESIGN OF OUR
APPROACH GOING FORWARD
STRUCTURALLY, THE CONSTRUCTION
WORK RELATED TO PEER 18, BUT
ALSO SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF
TRAFFIC CONTROL MITIGATION,
COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS AND THEN
SOMETHING I THINK WE WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT IS OUR NEED TO
CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE AND
ACCELERATE THE MAINTENANCE OF
THE SWING BRIDGE TO MAKE SURE
IT REMAINS A VIABLE AND ROBUST
TRANSPORTATION ASSET AS WELL.
THOSE FIGURES ARE THE ORDER OF
MAGNITUDE ESTIMATES OF WHAT OUR
PROGRAM IS OVER THE NEXT YEAR
OR SO.
THE REPAIR LINE IS TBD, AND
THAT IS AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PATH
FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
UPDATE THESE ESTIMATES AND AGAIN
, OUR COMMITMENT AND OUR
APPROACH IS TO HAVE REGULAR
CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT
COMMUNICATION AND THAT MEANS IS
OUR UNDERSTANDING CHANGES, WE
WILL BE SHARING THAT WITH YOU
AND WITH THE PUBLIC.
SO JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TO
CONTINUE TO BRING THE COMMUNITY
TOGETHER, WE ARE WORKING, WE
HAVE WORKED TO SHARE EMAIL
UPDATES WITH OVER 1000 PEOPLE
THAT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR
OUR EMAIL UPDATES.
WE CONTINUE TO POST INFORMATION
ON THAT WEBSITE I MENTIONED
EARLIER TO UPDATE PEOPLE AS WE
HAVE MORE INFORMATION, AS WE DO
ACTIVITIES.
WE ARE WORKING WITH DOM, OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING
FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD, FROM A
BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
SO WE KNOW THERE IS A LOT MORE
WORK HERE. YOU MENTIONED THE
TOWN HALL ON WEDNESDAY EVENING,
HEATHER AND I WILL BE JOINING
YOU THERE AS WELL.
SO WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO
CLEAR, INSISTENT, AND
TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION
THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THIS
PROJECT.
WITH THAT, I WILL STOP.
I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
OR TAKE FEEDBACK.>> THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS
TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING,
ALMOST EXACTLY 4 WEEKS AFTER
OUR FIRST BRIEFING, HARD TO
BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN FOUR WEEKS
ALREADY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ONGOING COOPERATION WITH US AS
A COUNCIL AND WITH YOUR
CONTINUED ENDEAVORED TO BE
TRANSPARENT AND DIRECT AS
POSSIBLE WITH THE PUBLIC AND
FOLKS WHO USE THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE, WHETHER THEY ARE
RESIDENTS OR WORKERS OF
DISTRICT 1. I HAVE APPRECIATED
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO GIVE US
WEEKLY REPORTS ON THE WORK THAT
YOU ALL ARE DOING ON THIS
IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE
AND I APPRECIATED THE
LEADERSHIP OF OUR
TRANSPORTATION CHAIR,
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON AND
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT AND
MAKING SURE THAT THIS ISSUE
STAYS ON THE FRONT BURNER AND
THAT WE ARE ASKING ALL OF THE
APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND NOT JUST
WHAT IS AT STAKE, BUT ALSO WHAT
SOME MITIGATION STRATEGIES ARE,
OR CAN BE IN ORDER TO
ADEQUATELY MEET THE NEEDS OF
FOLKS WHO NEED TO GET IN AND
OUT OF WEST SEATTLE.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE WE
CLOSE THIS PORTION OF THE
AGENDA?
GREAT.
SEEING NONE, SDOT AND THE GOOD
FOLKS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO
US OFF-LINE, SO I STRONGLY
ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS OR NEED MORE
INFORMATION TO PLEASE REACH OUT
TO DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE OR SHAUNA,
WHO IS OUR CONTACT TO HELP GET
US ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL CONCLUDE
THIS PART OF TODAY'S COUNSEL
BRIEFING.
THANK YOU TO HEATHER AND SAM
FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO GO AHEAD AND
DISCONNECT AT THIS POINT AND WE
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OUR ITEMS
OF BUSINESS.
>> THANK YOU.>> NEXT ITEM IS A
DISCUSSION ON OUR COUNSEL AND
REGIONAL COMMITTEES, SO WE WILL
BEGIN THAT REPORT OUT.
I WILL CALL ON COUNCILMEMBERS
AS ESTABLISHED BY THE ROLL CALL
FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS,
WHICH IS DESIGNATED
AUTOMATICALLY BY LAST NAME,
WITH THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
GOING LAST.
SO THIS WEEK'S ROLLCALL
ROTATION BEGINS WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, THEN
PETERSON, SAVANT, STRAUSS,
HERBOLT, WAREZ AND THEN I WILL
CONCLUDE THE AGENDA
DISCUSSIONS.
SO THAT IS THE ORDER I WILL
CALL YOU IN.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WITH
COUNCILMEMBER SKIBA.
>> GOOD MORNING.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR INITIATING THE
PULIC TESTIMONY AT THIS
AFTERNOON'S MEETING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH
YOU ALL AS WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO
MAKE THAT WORK AS WELL FOR
WEDNESDAY.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE
I.T.
FOLKS WORKED ON IN YOUR OPENING
COMMENTS.
AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ON
WEDNESDAY AT THE FULL COUNSEL
BUDGET COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE, WE
WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO
FOLKS PROVIDING FEEDBACK AS
WELL ON THAT WEDNESDAY MEETING
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC
COMMENT IS WORKING WELL FOR
EVERYONE.
THANKS FOR PILOTING IT THIS
WEEK SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE
TO HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION
GOING FORWARD IN THOSE BUDGET
COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS WELL.
FOR TODAY'S FULL COUNSEL, I
WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS FOR HIS WORK ON ONE
19796. THIS IS THE BILL TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ESTABLISHING
INTERIM PERMITTING PROCESS
DURING THIS EMERGENCY WHILE WE
ARE UNDER A STAY-AT-HOME ORDER.
WE WOULD MAKE SURE WE ARE
KEEPING THE PROCESS MOVING
FORWARD FOR HOUSING PROCESS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS
APPRECIATION TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS AS HE HAS COME UP WITH
A SUBSTITUTE BILL THAT WILL BE
IN FRONT OF US THIS AFTERNOON.
THERE ARE A FEW ADDITIONS I AM
SURE COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS WILL
GO OVER.
I WILL JUST MENTION A FEW OF
THOSE.
NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH
HIS OFFICE TO ADD IN A REQUEST
A RULE RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION
WORKER SAFETY AND CLARIFYING
THAT EARLY OUTREACH CAN BE DONE
AND CONDUCTED USING DIGITAL
METHODS AND OUTLINING THE
OPTIONS FOR SATISFYING THE
REQUIREMENTS.
WE WILL BE PLEASED TO BE UP TO
SPONSOR AN AMENDMENT THAT YOU
ALL SEE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THE
MATERIALS THAT WERE SENT
YESTERDAY THAT CREATES MORE
CERTAINTY THAT THE PROCESS THAT
THE PROGRESS ON PROJECTS MADE
IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS
NOT LOST AFTER THE EMERGENCY
ORDER IS LIFTED OR THE
LEGISLATION EXPIRES, SO THIS
AMENDMENT CREATES CONSISTENCY
BY INDICATING THAT PROJECTS
THAT ENTERED ADMINISTRATIVE
REVIEW ARE ABLE TO STAY ON
TRACK IF THEY HAVE PROGRESSED
BEYOND EARLY DESIGN GUIDANCE,
OR THE DIRECTORS DETERMINE THAT
SWITCHING TO FULL DESIGN REVIEW
WOULD CAUSE UNDUE DELAYS IN THE
PROCESS.
I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS AT
THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL FOR
WORKING WITH US TO PROVIDE THIS
FEEDBACK AND CLARITY IN THE
AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE OFFERED.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, CENTRAL STAFF FOR YOUR
WORK AS WELL ON THIS AMENDMENT.
I THINK THIS LEGISLATION IS
CRITICAL TO MAKING SURE THAT
HOUSING PROJECTS ARE ABLE TO
RETAIN THEIR FINANCIAL BACKING
AND TO MOVE THROUGH THE
PERMITTING PROCESS DURING THIS
CRISIS. I AM HOPING WITH THIS
LEGISLATION, THIS WILL AID THEM
MUCH NEEDING RECOVERY AS WE FACE
IMPACTS OF THE VIRUS ON OUR
COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PUBLIC
HOUSE.
THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, THERE IS
A MEETING THAT WAS SCHEDULED ON
APRIL 21 THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS
CANCELED.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE THE
BUDGET COMMITTEE, BUDGET SELECT
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ALL OF US
ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 AT 10 AM
. THE AGENDA I BELIEVE HAS BEEN
PREVIEWED IN THE MATERIALS SENT
AROUND BY CENTRAL STAFF AND
THANKS TO PATTY FOR SENDING
THAT AROUND.
THE AGENDA WILL BE PUBLISHED
TODAY AND IT INCLUDESAN
ECONOMIC REVIEW PAST FROM THE
CBO.
THANKS TO THE DIRECTOR FOR
PROVIDING US WITH AN IN DEPTH
OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CAN
ANTICIPATE AND WHAT WE WILL BE
ABLE TO PLAN FOR RIGHT NOW AS
WE ALREADY SEE THE IMPACTS OF
THIS AFFECTING OUR POTENTIAL
REVENUE IN THE FUTURE.
WE WILL SPEND THE REST OF THE
TIME FOCUSED ON THE PROPOSALS
PUT FORWARD THEIR THE
COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU TO THEM FOR WORKING
TO HAVE SOME LEGISLATION FOR US
TO REVIEW EARLY.
WE WILL START WITH THE BILL
OVERVIEW, WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE
TAX REVENUE BILL AND THE
INTERIM LOAN BILL.
OUR INTENT IS TO TO SPEND 30
MINUTES EACH ON THOSE BILLS,
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE WILL
HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND
WE ALSO WANT TO BUILD IN TIME
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS
RIGHT NOW ABOUT HOW THE PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL WORK BASED ON
TODAY'S PUBLIC COMMENT DURING
THE COUNSEL.
MORE INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE
PUBLISHED SOON ABOUT
PARTICIPATING IN WEDNESDAY'S
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AS WELL.
SO I WANT TO NOTE THESE ARE
DENSE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS IN
ADVANCE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
THOSE.
WE MIGHT NOT GET THROUGH ALL
THREE BILLS DEPENDING ON HOW
THE CONVERSATION GOES AND HOW
THE QUESTIONS PROCEED, BUT WE
DO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO ALL OF
YOU INCLUDING TO THE SPONSOR IS
THAT IF WE DO NOT GET THROUGH
ALL THREE BILLS ON WEDNESDAY,
WE WILL REVISIT THE DISCUSSION
NEXT WEDNESDAY WHEN THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO
CONVENE AGAIN.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM
THE PUBLIC ON WEDNESDAY.
THANKS TO THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, CITY CLERK, OUR I.T.
DEPARTMENT AND CODY TO HELPING
US TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT
COMMENT PROCESS WILL WORK.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF YOU ALSO ARE NOT ABLE TO
CALL IN AND PARTICIPATE THROUGH
PUBLIC COMMENT, AS ALWAYS YOU
CAN SEND A MESSAGE. IF YOU DO
RECORD A MESSAGE ON THE NORMAL
LINE, THEY WILL BE TRANSCRIBED
AND SENT AROUND TO THE
COUNCILMEMBERS.
LASTLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT IF WE DO HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE LEGISLATION,
THAT IS DISCUSSED ON WEDNESDAY,
THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DO A ROBUST DISCUSSION ON THE
FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY.
I WILL PREVIEW FOR YOU RIGHT
NOW ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
FROM COUNCILMEMBERS AFTER THIS
WEDNESDAY'S MEETING, WE WILL
ASK FOR FOLKS TO GET BACK TO US
WITH QUESTIONS BY FRIDAY, SO
STAFF HAVE A ROBUST AMOUNT OF
TIME TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO ALL
OF US IN ADVANCE OF NEXT
WEDNESDAY'S MEETING.
I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT AGAIN ON
WEDNESDAY.
THANK YOU, I THINK THAT IS IT
FOR MY UPDATES.>> THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE.
I FAILED TO REQUEST THAT
COUNCILMEMBERS HOLD ON THEIR
COMMENTS RELATED TO COUNSEL
BILL 119 769.
I AM SAYING THAT FROM MEMORY,
SO HOPE I DID NOT MESS THAT UP.
IF YOU COULD HOLD YOUR COMMENTS
UNTIL COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS IS
REPORTS, THERE ARE NO LESS THAN
SIX AMENDMENTS ON THAT BILL,
INCLUDING, I THINK SOME
COMPETING SUBSTITUTE BILLS.
IT WOULD BE BEST FOR US TO
RESERVE COMMENT UNTIL THAT
HAPPENS JUST TO FACILITATE THE
EASE OF THE CONVERSATION.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SAYING THAT
AT THE TOP OF MY TRANSITION TO
THIS SECTION OF THE AGENDA, BUT
I THINK FOR EASE OF HELPING US
AND THE PUBLIC TRACK WHAT WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT, IT WOULD BE
IDEAL TO WAIT UNTIL
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAS
ADDRESSED THE BILL BEFORE WE
LAUNCH THE CONVERSATION AROUND
AMENDMENTS.
SO IF THOSE COMMENTS ARE
CURRENTLY IN YOUR SCRIPT OR IN
YOUR NOTES, I WOULD ASK YOU TO
HOLD ON THOSE AND ON THOSE
UNTIL WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO HEAR FROM THE PRIMARY
SPONSOR OF THAT BILL.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ALONG
. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO
COUNCILMEMBER MISS REPORT ON
ITEMS THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO
THE COUNSEL BILL?
OKAY.
WE WILL MOVE TO PETERSON.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING.
WE ARE HAPPY THAT SDOT WAS HERE
TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION.
WE WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLT FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON
THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE ISSUE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
OUR WORK TOGETHER.
ON THIS AFTERNOON'S CITY
COUNCIL AGENDA, NO ITEMS FROM
OUR TRANSPORTATION AND
UTILITIES COMMITTEE.
I KNOW WE ARE FOCUSED ON
RESPONDING TO COVID AND BIG
ISSUES LIKE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE, BUT THIS WEDNESDAY'S
EARTH DAY, MAYBE SOME OF YOU
WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
WHAT I AM DOING AND DISTRICT 4
IS VISITIG THE NORTH TRANSFER
STATION, SO AS WE ALL KNOW, WE
ARE FORTUNATE TO OWN AND
OPERATE TWO UTILITY OPERATIONS,
SO ELECTRICITY AND WASTE AND
WATER, SO I WILL BE GOING ON A
TOUR OF THE TRANSFER STATION
WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF
RECYCLING ACTIVITY THAT GOES ON
THERE, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT
FOR THE HEALTH AND
SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR PLANET.
THIS PAST WEEK, I HAD A VIRTUAL
MEETING WITH THE BOY SCOUT
TROOP FROM SEATTLE, THEY WERE
TRYING TO EARN THEIR MERIT
BADGE FOR CITIZENSHIP IN THE
COMMUNITY.
THAT SOME VERY TOUGH QUESTIONS,
USUALLY THE TOUGHER QUESTIONS I
GET ARE OFTEN FROM CHILDREN IN
THE DISTRICT, AND WAS HAPPY TO
ANSWER THOSE, AND HAPPY TO
REPORT THEY HAVE EARNED THEIR
MERIT BADGE.
THIS WEEKEND, I VISITED THE
FARMERS MARKET IN THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT, WHICH AS
WE KNOW, THE MAYOR HAD OPENED
UP TWO FARMERS MARKET THIS PAST
WEEKEND.
I OBSERVED THAT RESIDENTS WERE
DOING THEIR BEST TO TO ADHERE
TO SOCIAL DISTANCING
REQUIREMENTS, THEY WERE WAITING
IN LINES 6 FEET APART BEFORE
THEY SHOP FOR FRESH FOOD AT THE
FARMERS MARKET.
I ANTICIPATE IT WILL BE OPEN
AGAIN NEXT SATURDAY AS WELL.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR OFFICE
HOURS OVER THE PHONE AND OVER
SKYPE, SO PLEASE SIGN UP ON MY
WEBSITE. THANK YOU.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON'S REPORT
? OKAY.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO
THE NEXT REPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA FOR
SUSTAINABILITY AND RENTERS
RIGHTS.
AS WAS MENTIONED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, THERE
WILL BE A BUDGET MEETING THIS
WEDNESDAY WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS
THE LEGISLATION DEVELOPED BY MY
OFFICE TO TAX AMAZON AND OTHER
2% OF LARGEST CORPORATIONS IN
SEATTLE TO FUND COVID RELIEF
FOR WORKING PEOPLE AND
ENSURING THE BURDEN DOES NOT
FALL ON SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
AND ALSO THE LEGISLATION
ENSURES THAT ALL NONPROFTS,
GROCERY STORES, AND PUBLIC
EMPLOYERS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE
TAX, AND IN ADDITION TO THE
RELIEF NEEDED, THE LEGISLATION
WILL ALSO, THE TAX WILL ALSO
FUND THE PUBLIC JOBS PROGRAM
FOR BUILDING SOCIAL HOUSING AND
THE GREEN NEW DEAL, AND I
BELIEVE THAT I AM JOINED BY
THOUSANDS OF INNER-CITY, TENS
OF THOUSANDS AGREE THAT WE ARE
IN A TRIPLE EMERGENCY RIGHT NOW
FOR MOST WORKING PEOPLE,
INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESSES.
THERE IS A DANGER TO LIFE AND
HEALTH, THERE IS ALSO THE
ONGOING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS WHICH WILL ONLY GET
EXACERBATED AND THERE IS NOT A
CRISIS OF JOBS, WHICH IS NOT
GOING TO GET WORSE IN THE
COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
IN THE LAST WEEK, THE SEATTLE
TIMES WHICH IS A BIG BUSINESS
HAS PUBLISHED THREE EDITORIALS
PROPOSING A. THEY ARE NOT EVEN
PRETENDING TO HAVE JOURNALISTIC
INTEGRITY ABOUT THEIR OWN
FINANCIAL INTEREST.
THIS REFLECTS THAT BIG BUSINESS
WILL USE PREDICTABLY ALL THEIR
POLITICAL POWER, THEIR CLOUT TO
PREVENT HAVING TO PAY THEIR
FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.
THEY TALK ABOUT SHARED
SACRIFICE, BUT WE KNOW THAT
THIS IS NOT A SHARED SACRIFICE,
THAT CRISIS IS NOT LANDING ON
EVERYONE'S SHOULDERS EQUALLY.
IT IS WORKING PEOPLE BEARING
THE BRUNT OF THIS CRISIS RIGHT
NOW, MANY SMALL BUSINESSES
ESPECIALLY OWNED BY IMMIGRANTS,
AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT
WHILE CORPORATE EXECUTIVES ARE
GETTING NOT ONLY, THEY ARE NOT
ONLY ABLE TO WEATHER THE STORM
BECAUSE OF TAX CUTS, BUT ON TOP
OF THAT, THEY ARE GETTING
BAILOUTS FROM THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION, WHICH FAR
OUTWEIGHS THE STIMULUS CHECKS
GOING TO WORKERS. IT IS GRAVELY
INADEQUATE.
WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE FALSELY CLAIMING THIS
IS A TAX ON JOBS.
THIS IS NOT A TAX ON JOBS.
IT IS A TAX ON BIG BUSINESSES,
NOT ON THE WORKERS, AND THE
WORKERS AND MANY OF THE
INDUSTRIES THAT WILL BE TAXED
ARE SUPPORTING THIS TAX.
WE APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION I
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE WITH THE
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ABOUT
VARIOUS ISSUES, AND I HAVE
HIGHLIGHTED THAT WE NEED TO
INCLUDE IMMUNITY VOICES AND WE
NEED TO MAKE A HUGE EFFORT.
PUBLIC COMMENT AS PART OF THAT.
WE APPRECIATE GONZALEZ AND THE
STAFF OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MAKING AN EFFORT.
I HAVE ALSO STATED MY PREFERENCE
, OR PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE IT
IS HARD FOR PEOPLE, WORKING
PEOPLE, MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE AT
HOME ARE WORKING, AND OTHER
ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE STILL
ACTUALLY AT WORK, PHYSICALLY AT
WORK, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
PUBLIC COMMENT, THE TIMING IS
PREDICTABLE, PART OF THE
PROBLEM WITH KEEPING IT AT THE
END IS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHEN
TO COMMENTS.
I THINK THAT COUNCILS
DISCUSSION IN THE COMMITTEE
SHOULD BE INFORMED BY PUBLIC
COMMENT.
WE APPRECIATE THE ONGOING
CONVERSATION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
SURE THT WE FACILITATE THAT IN
THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
WE ALSO WANTED TO SAY FOR THE
RECORD THAT CONTRARY TO ANY
IDEA THAT MIGHT BE FLOATING OUT
THERE, THIS IS NOT THE RESULT
OF A NARROW STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
WORKERS, HOUSING AND TENANT
RIGHTS ADVOCATES, SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS WERE INVOLVED
THROUGH A DEBATE AND DISCUSSION
AND VOTING WERE INVOLVED IN
CRAFTING MANY ASPECTS OF THIS
LEGISLATION.
DOZENS OF COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING
PROGRESSIVE UNION LEADERS HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED.
WE WENT MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A
PRODUCT OF DEMOCRATIC
DISCUSSION AND DEBATE.
I WANTED TO QUICKLY ALSO SHARE
WHAT I HAVE ALREADY SHARED WITH
THE CHAIR, THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE DEVELOP, WHICH IS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TEXTING
AMAZON.
I AM HOPING THAT WE WILL HEAR
FROM THESE MEMBERS AND LEADERS
WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE
DISCUSSIONS AROUND THIS
LEGISLATION.
ONE OF THEM IS DAVID PARSON,
THE PRESIDENT OF UAW, WHICH IS
THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS 6000
EMPLOYEES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, THAT UNIT HAS BEEN
ACTIVE IN TAXATION.
IT WILL ALSO BE GOOD TO HAVE
SOMEBODY HERE LOCALLY.
90% OF THE HOTEL WORKERS ARE
OUT OF WORK AND NEED IMMEDIATE
AND.
SOMEBODY LIKE VIOLET, WHO IS THE
DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON.
OR SOMEONE FROM CARD GREEN, AND
ALSO WE NEED, AS PEOPLE EXPLAIN
TO US WHY WE NEED THE NEW UNION
JOBS THAT WILL BE CREATED AS A
RESULT OF THIS TAX BECAUSE THE
JOBS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, BUT
ESPECIALLY AS WE GO INTO A DEEP
RECESSION WHERE WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE JOBLESSNESS AND WHILE THIS
LEGISLATION WILL NOT CREATE
ENOUGH JOBS, IT WILL MAKE A
DENT IN THE JOBLESSNESS WE WILL
BE FACING.
I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE KATIE AND
KRISTIN FROM THE 2018
PROGRESSIVE REVENUE TASK FORCE.
BE SURE TO INCLUDE FRONT-LINE
WORKERS LIKE YOU HAVE CW WORKERS
, OR NURSES ON THE FRONT LINES
LIKE EMILY BARNES HAS SPOKEN AT
MANY OF OUR TOWN HALLS.
SHE IS IN ICU NURSE TO TESTIFY
ON THE CRISIS. MANY HAVE SPOKEN
UP IN FAVOR OF TAXING BIG
BUSINESS LIKE SHIRLEY
HENDERSON.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
DISCUSSION AND I REALLY URGE
THE COUNCIL TO PAY HEED TO THE
NEEDS OF THE MOST VULNERABLE IN
OUR SOCIETY AND PASS THE TAX AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR
HER REPORT?
HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND MOVE TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRESSES REPORTS.
ONCE AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND HE
WILL BE ADDRESSING COUNSEL BILL
119769. FREEMAN AND WHITSON,
BOTH FROM OUR CENTRAL STAFF ARE
ON THE CALL WITH US TODAY, AND
ARE GOING TO BE HERE TO ADDRESS
QUESTIONS.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE
TO ASK IF YOU WOULD LIKE
CENTRAL STAFF TO RUN THROUGH ANY
OF THE PORTIONS OF THE MEMO
THAT THEY CIRCULATED TO US
PREVIOUSLY ALONG WITH
AMENDMENTS, OR IF YOU INTEND TO
GO THROUGH THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
BILL FIRST AND LEAVE QUESTIONS
ONLY TO COUNSEL CENTRAL
STAFF?>> THANK YOU.
IF WE COULD PROCEED, I WILL
PROVIDE MY COMMITTEE UPDATE AND
WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING IN
COMMUNITY THIS WEEK, WE WILL
HAVE CENTRAL STAFF RESENT AN
OVERVIEW OF THE BILL AND
QUESTIONS THEY HAVE RECEIVED.
IF I COULD THEN PRESENT THE
INFORMATION THAT I HAVE
RECEIVED AND COLLECT DID THAT
MAY OR MAY NOT HELP OUR
COLLEAGUES UNDERSTAND SOME OF
THE NUANCES OF THIS BILL.
I HAVE STEPPED ISSUES FOR OVER
TWO YEARS AT THIS TIME AND
THERE ARE STILL THINGS I HAD TO
BE REPRIEVED ABOUT REGARDING
THIS BECAUSE LAND USE IS SUCH A
NUANCED TYPE OF LEGISLATION, SO
THAT IS NOT INFERRING ANYONE,
ANYONE KNOWLEDGE BASE UPON LAND
USE, RATHER THAT LAND USE CAN
BE VERY COMPLICATED, AND THEN
FROM THERE TAKE QUESTIONS FROM
OUR COLLEAGUES.
HOW DOES THAT SOUND TO YOU?
>> GREAT.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND HAVE YOU
GIVE YOUR REPORT ON THINGS
UNRELATED TO THE COUNSEL BILL,
THEN YOU WILL TRANSITION INTO
THE COUNSEL BILL AND WE WILL
HEAR FROM LAOIS AND THEN WE
WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS.
THAT IS HOW I HAVE HEARD THE
PROPOSAL.
WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND START
WITH YOUR REPORT AND WE WILL GO
FROM THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
LAST WEEK I JOINED THE LUKENS
BRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
VIRTUAL MEETING AND HELD
DISTRICT HOURS OVER THE PHONE.
WE HAVE COMPLETELY FULL
DISTRICT HOURS AND I APPRECIATE
EVERYONE TAKING THE TIME TO
CALL IN.
REGARDING COMMENTS ON THE
HEPATITIS A SPIKES, INITIAL
STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
MY CALL FOR URGENCY REMAINS AND
I WILL ISSUE UPDATES AS I
RECEIVE THEM.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK
IN HONOR OF SENATOR JOHN McCOY
WHO THIS PAST WEEK ANNOUNCED HE
WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE.
HE SERVED FOR 17 YEARS AND MOST
RECENTLY IS THE CHAIR OF THE
SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
HE SERVED FOR 20 YEARS IN THE
U.S. AIRPORTS, SERVED AS A
WHITE HOUSE COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
IN THE 1990S AND THE GENERAL
MANAGER FOR THE TRIBE THAT HAS
BEEN THE SECOND LARGEST
ECONOMIC ENGINE IN SNOHOMISH
COUNTY.
I WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT
BECAUSE I AM GRATEFUL TO LEARN
FROM SENATOR McCOY, AND I WANT
TO HONOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU SENATOR McCOY FOR ALL
YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR STATE.
THIS WEEK, MY OFFICE CONTINUES
TO PRIORITIZE SMALL BUSINESSES
AND PEOPLE NAVIGATING
RESOURCES, AND THEN FINALLY,
SPEAKING ABOUT COMMITTEE, THERE
ARE THREE ITEMS ON THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WHILE COUNSEL BILL 119776 OUR
FINAL APPROVALS FOR THE URBAN
VILLAGE, THE PLOT DEVICE ONE
PARCEL INTO 21 PARCELS TO
FACILITATE THE SALE OF
INDIVIDUAL TOWNHOMES, WHICH
HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCT DID
. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN BEFORE
THE HEARING EXAMINER AND IT IS
THE COUNSEL'S DUTY TO ACT ON
THIS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF
RECEIVING CLEARANCE FROM THE
HEARING EXAMINER.
SO THAT WILL BE BEFORE US.
WE HAVE CONFIRMED THIS MEETS
ALL CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDED
APPROVALS.
GETTING CAUGHT UP BECAUSE WE DO
HAVE A LARGE BILL TODAY,
COUNSEL BILL 119 769 IS THE
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION, WHICH WE
HAVE DISCUSSED FOR SEVERAL
WEEKS NOW RELATING TO DESIGN
REVIEW, WHICH IS INTENDED TO
ALLOW PROJECTS TO CONTINUE
MOVING FORWARD DURING THE COVID
EMERGENCY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS TO THE LEGISLATION,
SEVEN THAT WE KNOW OF AT THIS
TIME, AND CENTRAL STAFF IS WITH
US TO WALK US THROUGH THE BILL
AND THOSE AMENDMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK ALLIE, NOAH,
COUNCILMEMBER MUSCAT IS OFFICE
AND HER STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR
WORK OVER THE LAST WEEK.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OVER THE
WEEKEND TO SEE THIS BILL
THROUGH.
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT EITHER
BACK TO THE PRESIDENT OR
CENTRAL STAFF.
THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU.
LET'S GO AHEAD. WHO WANTS TO GO
FIRST?
>> I WILL GO AHEAD AND START.
AS THE COUNCILMEMBER MENTIONED
EARLIER, THIS WOULD ALLOW THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION TO PROCESS
ADMINISTRATIVELY SOME TYPES OF
REVIEWS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD
REQUIRE IN PERSON MEETINGS AND
THE PURPOSE IS TO AVOID IN
PERSON MEETINGS, WHICH CAN'T
OCCUR DUE TO THE EMERGENCY.
THE BILL WOULD BE AN ACTIVE AN
EMERGENCY BASIS ON THE TERMS OF
THE BILL, THE SHIFT TO
ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WOULD
LAST FOR 180 DAYS.
THERE ARE SOME NUANCE THAT I
DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN GO INTO
IT.
WHAT MIGHT BE USEFUL IS IF WE
WALK THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS WE
KNOW OF THAT MAY BE PROPOSED
TODAY.
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST.
FOB GET INTO THE AMENDMENTS,
LET ME ASK MY COLLEAGUES.
AGAIN, SETTING ASIDE THE
AMENDMENTS, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UNDERLYING
BILL AND WHAT IT WOULD
ACCOMPLISH THAT YOU HAVE FOR
EITHER QUITO OR THE WISH OR
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
I AM NOT SEEING -- OKAY,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT JUST THE
UNDERLYING BILL, SETTING ASIDE
AMENDMENTS, SO I WILL GO AHEAD
AND YIELD THE FLOOR TO YOU FOR
QUESTIONS.
>> I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION,
JUST TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE
THERE HAS BEEN MISCONCEPTIONS,
I THINK PART OF THIS BILL IN
THE PUBLIC.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE
WAS A BIG DECISION, PUTTING IN
A NEW BUILDING.
LIKE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THAT THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT,
LIKE THAT COULD GO FORWARD
WITHOUT HAVING THE BOARD
REVIEW, AND THAT COULD BE
APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY FOR
THE NEXT 60 DAYS, BUT THEN
HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT OVER
THAT TIMEFRAME, THE ABILITY TO
HAVE THOSE MEETINGS REMOTELY
WOULD BE CREATED, AND AT THAT
POINT, THE BOARD REVIEW WOULD
COME BACK AND COME BACK AND
SORT OF A VIRTUAL FORMAT.
THAT WE ARE NOT, JUST SO I CAN
CLARIFY, WE ARE NOT UNDER THIS
FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS FREEZING
THE APPROVALS OF BIG DECISIONS
LIKE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW
BUILDING, BUT ALLOW
ADMINISTRATOR REVIEW ONLY FOR
SOME OF THE SMALLER
PRESERVATION DECISIONS AND
SMALLER APPROVALS.
>> YEAH. I WILL ELABORATE.
THERE ARE TWO, YOU ARE ASKING
ABOUT TWO THINGS.
THE BILL TREATS DIFFERENT
REVIEWS DIFFERENTLY.
FOR DESIGN REVIEW, WHICH WOULD
BE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW
BUILDING AND MAY NOT REQUIRE
ANY SIGN OF APPROVALS FROM ANY
KIND OF LANDMARKS REVIEW OR
PRESERVATION BODY.
PROJECTS WOULD SHIFT TO
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW,
WHICH IS A PROCESS THAT SOME CAN
BAIL THEMSELVES OUT.
THERE ARE NO IN PERSON
MEETINGS.
FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THAT
PERIOD OF TIME IS EITHER THE
EARLIER OF 180 DAYS, WHICH IS
THE TERM OF THE BILL. A TIME AT
WHICH FTC I SAID UP VIRTUAL
MEETINGS, WHICH COMPLY WITH THE
GOVERNOR'S ORDER, OR A TIME IN
WHICH BOARDS BEGIN MEETING
AGAIN IN PERSON SUBJECT TO
WHATEVER REQUIREMENTS KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH HAS TO
PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY
AND WELFARE.
THAT IS THE DESIGN REVIEW SIDE
OF THINGS.
ON THE HISTORIC RESERVATION
SIDE OF THINGS AND PROGRAMS
ADMINISTERED BY DOM, MEETINGS
AND BOARDS ARE SUSPENDED FOR 60
DAYS UNDER THE BILL.
FOR THE FULL 180 DAY LENGTH OF
THE BILL, THE HISTORIC
RESERVATION OFFICER FOR THE
DIRECTOR DEPENDING WOULD HAVE
SOME AUTHORITY TO MAKE
SPECIFIED DECISIONS THAT AT
LEAST IN THE ESTIMATION OF THE
MAYOR ARE RELATIVELY MODEST IN
SCOPE.
WE HAVE LISTED THEM TO THE
MEMORANDUM FROM A WEEK OR SO
AGO.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS THE ONLY QUESTION I
HAD.
>> OKAY.
IF I MAY ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING
BILL BEFORE WE MOVED TO
AMENDMENTS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERLYING BILL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LIKE ALL OF YOU, I HAVE ASKED
MANY MANY QUESTIONS OVER THE
LAST MONTH OR SO, SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ASKED,
I HAVE ASKED AND AMENDMENTS YOU
HAVE DRAFTED, I WAS INITIALLY
GOING TO DRAFT AND THE FOUND
THE REASONS WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE
THE BEST PATHWAY FORWARD.
SO I WENT TO CALL BACK
ATTENTION TO THE MEMO THAT WE
RECEIVED LAST WEEK BECAUSE I
ASKED ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TO
VERY CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO ME SO
THAT WE COULD CLEARLY EXPLAINED
TO EVERYONE HERE AT COUNSEL AND
TO THE PUBLIC WHY THESE
MEETINGS ARE DIFFERENT THAN
OTHER TYPES OF MEETINGS.
WHAT THE BARRIERS TO CREATING
VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE, WHAT IS
THE TIMELINE FOR BRINGING THESE
VIRTUAL MEETINGS ONLINE AND
WHAT IS THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
STRATEGY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO
KNOW HOW THEY MAY PARTICIPATE.
SO THE TIME SENSITIVITY
REGARDING THIS IS THAT MORE THAN
20 PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL
PROJECTS REPRESENTING 3500
HOUSING UNITS IN AN ASSISTED
LIVING FACILITY ARE CURRENTLY
ON HOLD BECAUSE THEIR DESIGN
REVIEW MEETINGS HAVE BEEN
CANCELED.
ANOTHER 20 PROJECTS ARE
EXPECTED TO BE DELAYED EACH
MONTH, CREATING ADDITIONAL
BACKLOG FOR THE DESIGN REVIEW
BOARDS THAT COULD OUTLAST OUR
CURRENT EMERGENCY.
IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT ONE
YEAR TO MOVE THROUGH THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROCESS, AND SO ALLOWING
THESE PROJECTS TO CONTINUE
MOVING IS VERY IMPORTANT.
MASTER USE PERMITS ARE ONLY
ABLE TO BE CREATED AFTER THE
DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS AND THERE
IS ADDITIONAL STAFF WORK
REQUIRED BETWEEN MASTER USE
PERMITS AND BUILDING PERMITS
BEING ISSUED.
SO I CALL ATTENTION THAT IF WE
STALL THE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS, THEN WE ARE BACK
LOGGING ALL OF OUR STAFF TO WORK
ON BOTH MASTER USE PERMITS AND
THEN THE WORK THAT MUST OCCUR
BETWEEN MASTER USE PERMITS TO
BUILDING PERMITS.
IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO CREATE
THIS PATHWAY, WE LIMIT OUR
STAFF'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE
WORKING DURING THIS EMERGENCY.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
JOBS ARE CREATED AND HOUSING
DOLLARS ARE RECEIVED BY THE CITY
ONLY AT THE ISSUANCE OF
BUILDING PERMITS.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD
STEP, DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
MASTER USE PERMITS AND THEN
BUILDING PERMITS AND SO IF WE
ARE STOPPING OUR INPUT OF
PROJECTS, WE ARE DELAYING OUR
ABILITY TO HAVE JOBS READY AND
PROJECTS SHOVEL READY AND WE
ARE ALSO DELAYING OUR ABILITY
TO RECEIVE HOUSING DOLLARS.
ADDITIONALLY, ANOTHER 30
PROJECTS INCLUDING FOUR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTS ARE
CURRENTLY UNABLE TO PROCEED
BECAUSE THEY CANNOT COMPLETE
THEIR EARLY COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
THIS LEGISLATION CLARIFIES AND
REQUIRES EARLY COMMUNITY
OUTREACH.
THERE IS ALSO A MINOR DENMARK
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE KEY
ARENA PRODUCT OR THE COLISEUM
PROJECT NEEDS, IT HAS ALREADY
BEEN DELAED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
AND WOULD BECOME A PINCH POINT
THIS NEXT MAY.
SO I HIGHLIGHT THIS AS THERE IS
A SERIOUS TIME SENSITIVITY TO
PASSING LEGISLATION TODAY ON AN
EMERGENCY BASIS.
NOW I ALSO ASK WHY OUR DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD MEETINGS
CHALLENGING TO HAVE VIRTUALLY.
WE HEAR OUR COUNSEL HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS,
FOR INSTANCE THE DESIGN
COMMISSION HAS ALSO BEEN ABLE
TO HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, AND
WHILE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN
TAKING STEPS TO HOLD DESIGN
REVIEW MEETINGS VIRTUALLY,
THERE ARE SEVERAL BARRIERS WE
STILL NEED TO ADDRESS.
THIS INCLUDES THE SIZE OF
DESIGN REVIEW PROGRAMS, WHICH
INVOLVES 20-30 MEETINGS EACH
MONTH AND OVER 100 STAFF
MEMBERS WHO WOULD NEED TO BE
TRAINED.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 70
VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS WITH
VARYING ABILITIES AND
TECHNOLOGICAL ACCESS, SO THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD AND OUR CITY
COUNCILS DESIGN REVIEW BOARDS
ARE VOLUNTEER, WHEREAS THIS IS
OUR JOB HERE AT COUNSEL.
THEY ARE FACILITATING WITH
PUBLIC COMMENT MEETINGS THAT
INVOLVE COMP PLAQUES TECHNICAL
DOCUMENTS AND RICH
PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THAT IS BEYOND EVEN WHAT WE
EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE CITY
COUNCIL WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
THERE IS ACTUALLY, THERE IS A
FACILITATION CONVERSATION ABOUT
THESE VERY COMPLEX TECHNICAL
DOCUMENTS.
IT IS MORE THAN JUST A
DIRECTIONAL HERE IS WHAT I AM
THINKING, IT IS HERE IS WHAT I
AM THINKING AND THE BOARD HAS
TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO BE TOGETHER
ON THIS CALL TODAY BECAUSE THIS
IS OUR PRIMARY JOB, WHEREAS I
THESE REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS ARE
VOLUNTEER.
THE DESIGN COMMISSION HAS BEEN
ABLE TO HOLD A VIRTUAL MEETING,
WHICH IS PROMISING, AND I THINK
A GOOD STUDY, BUT DESIGN REVIEW
BOARDS ARE MUCH MORE COMPLEX
AND INTERACTIVE.
THAT IS REALLY THE KEY PART OF
THIS IS THAT THIS IS AN
INTERACTIVE PROCESS, WHEREAS
THE DESIGN COMMISSION IS 11
NUMBERS.
ONE OF MY AMENDMENTS TODAY
WOULD REQUIRE REPORTING IN 60
DAYS ON THE EXECUTIVE PROGRESS
TOWARDS STARTING THESE VIRTUAL
MEETINGS.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ALSO, WE ARE
REQUIRING A PLAN TO BE
PRESENTED BY MAY 15 FOR AT THE
TIME THAT VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE
ABLE TO START, AND OR HOW IS
THE PUBLIC BEING ENGAGED TO
KNOW AND INTERACT WITH THE
PUBLIC COMMENT OPTIONS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE.
WHEN YOU COMPARE ADMINISTERED
OF DESIGN REVIEW TO THE FULL
DESIGN REVIEW, THERE IS ONLY
ONE FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT IS PARAMOUNT TO MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THE
PUBLIC DOES NOT KNOW THEY HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY, THAT
OPPORTUNITY IN ESSENCE DOES NOT
MAKE SENSE, SO THAT IS WHY WE
ARE CALLING TO REQUIRE THIS
PLAN TO BE PRESENTED TO US.
THE LEGISLATION IS WRITTEN TO
VIRTUALLY MIRROR PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THEY
ARE USING A TYPICAL PROCESS.
THE MEMO THAT WE RECEIVED
ADDITIONALLY COMMITS TO
PROVIDING US THIS PLAN.
REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SPECIFICALLY LESSONS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS ARE ALREADY
ALLOWED TO MOVE THROUGH
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW,
BECAUSE THE CITY HAS -- WE ARE
FOCUSED AND COMMITTED TO
GETTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THROUGH OUR PERMITTING
PROCESSES BECAUSE WE DO NOT
WANT TO BE THE DELAY FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS
COMING ONLINE.
THIS LEGISLATION ALLOWS THEM TO
BYPASS US TEMPORARILY FOR SIX
MONTHS BECAUSE DURING THIS
PUBLIC EMERGENCY, THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BECAUSE AS
AS TCI PRIORITIZES OTHER
PRODUCTS AT OTHER LEVELS, THERE
BECOMES INCREASED AMOUNT OF
STAFF WORK FOR OUR PLANNERS,
MEANING EACH WORK THAT
TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE A DESIGN
REVIEW IS HAVING, THERE IS A
LARGER BODY OF WORK FOR THEM TO
A COMPASS, WHICH MEANS IF WE
WANT TO CONTINUE PRIORITIZING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE NEED TO
MOVE THAT UP.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ALSO ONE
OF THE ONLY TYPES OF
CONSTRUCTION THAT IS CURRENTLY
PERMITTED UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S
ORDERS, WHICH MAKES IT
ADDITIONALLY IMPORTANT.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ON THE
BASE OF THE BILL, AND I WELCOME
CENTRAL STEPS PRESENTATION ON
OUR AMENDMENTS.
>> GREAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE
UNDERLYING BASE BILL BEFORE WE
HAVE CENTRAL STAFF WALK US
THROUGH THE SUBSTITUTE BILLS OF
WHICH THERE ARE A COUPLE
DIFFERENT VERSIONS.
I GUESS I WOULD CALL IT 2.5
VERSION, AND THEN WE HAVE
SEVERAL AMENDMENTS TO GO
THROUGH.
COUNCIL MEMBER LOUIS.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS, AND I APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATION JUST NOW AROUND
THE VIRTUAL MEETING ENUMERATED
BY DCI AND THEY ARE VERY
COMPREHENSIVE TO US.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE
ANY ADDITIONAL CLARIFYING
INFORMATION ON A FEW OF THEIR
POINTS, WHERE I DON'T THINK I
HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION YET
NECESSARILY.
SO IT SAYS THEY ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO TRAIN OVER 100 STAFF
MEMBERS, AND I GUESS MY FIRST
QUESTION WOULD BE, LIKE DO YOU
GENERALLY KNOW THE PROFILE OF
THOSE STAFF MEMBERS AND TO DO
YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED
TO BE TRAINED TO DO TWO DO THE
CITY STAFF INCLUDE VOLUNTEER
BOARD AND COMMISSIONERS, JUST
CLARIFYING THAT WOULD BE GOOD
TO KNOW.
>> I BELIEVE THAT MY NOTES MAY
HAVE INCORRECTLY IDENTIFIED
THEM AS STAFF.
I BELIEVE THEY ARE VOLUNTEERS,
AS THERE ARE ABOUT 100
VOLUNTEERS ON DESIGN REVIEW
BOARDS BECAUSE WE HAVE A DESIGN
REVIEW BOARDS.
SO IT IS MORE, THIS IS MORE
COMPLEX THAN JUST ONE DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT DESIGN
REVIEW BOARDS FOR DIFFERENT
SECTIONS OF THE CITY.
CENTRAL STAFF, CORRECT ME IF I
AM INCORRECT.
>> I AM TRYING TO RECALL THE
CONTENT OF THAT MEMO.
100 SEEMS LARGE.
I SUSPECT THAT NUMBER IS
LANDMARK BOARDS AS WELL. THERE
ARE MULTIPLE DESIGN REVIEW
BOARDS, BUT I AM GUESSING THAT
THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY DESIGN
REVIEW AND OTHER ANSWER
PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARDS.
>> I GUESS THAT IS MY
ASSUMPTION AS WELL. BUT I GUESS
THAT MY QUESTION IS MORE LIKE
WHAT THE EXTENT OF THE TRAINING
DEPARTMENT RECEIPTS TO BE
REQUIRED AS.
ARE SOME PEOPLE JUST BEING
TRAINED TO PARTICIPATE THE WAY
WE PARTICIPATE AS
COUNCILMEMBERS AND A MEETING?
úTHAT SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE, OR I
THERE BACKGROUND STAFF WORK
THAT IS GOING TO BE MORE
REQUIRE A BIGGER CONTRIBUTION
OF RESOURCES AND WHAT IS THAT
NUMBER?
I THINK IT IS ONE THING TO SAY
IS IT IS OVER 100 STAFF, WHICH
IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IN
THE MEMO, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF
THEM ARE THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT
WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE
MEETINGS THAT HAVE TO LEARN HOW
TO USE THE ZOOM.
WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE THAT ARE
STAFF AND HAVE TO SET UP THE
MEETINGS, WHICH I AGREE WE ARE
GETTING INCREASINGLY GOOD AT AS
A CITY COUNSEL.
I HAD A TOWNHALL MEETING LAST
WEEK WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF
PARTICIPANTS WHERE THERE WAS
CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF
INTERACTION, AND PICTURES WERE
SHARED, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE
HURDLES THAT THEY ARE SAYING
THEY HAVE THAT MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO RUN THESE
PARTICULAR MEETINGS AND A
VIRTUAL MANNER, SO I GUESS MY
QUESTION IS ADJUSTED THE EXTENT
OF THE TRAINING AND WHAT KIND OF
BARRIER THAT IS, THAT IS NOT
CLEARLY ENUMERATED IN THE MEMO,
AND HOW THAT DIFFERS BASED ON
THE PERSONNEL.
THE SECOND QUESTION.
>> CAN I ANSWER THAT QUESTION
SO WE DON'T GET LOST TWO THERE
ARE 100 VOLUNTEERS WHO, WHEREAS
THIS IS OUR FORMAL AND PRIMARY
JOB, THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE
ALREADY WORKING ANOTHER JOB
THAT MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL
HEALTHCARE OR CHILDCARE OR
OTHER COMPETING PRIORITIES. SO
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, YES, IT
IS A ZOOM TYPE TRAINING.
THERE IS THE ADDITIONAL
COMPLEXITY THAT THERE IS A
CONVERSATION, SO IT IS NOT A
ONE DIRECTIONAL PRESENTATION.
THERE ARE COMPLEX TECHNICAL
DOCUMENTS OF PLANS.
PLANS USUALLY COME ROLLED UP
AND THEN HAVE TO BE ROLLED OUT
OVER THE ENTIRE TABLE, SO
USUALLY THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF
INTERACTION ON VERY NUANCED
INFORMATION, AND THE LAST POINT
THAT I WOULD MAKE IS THAT IT
HAS TAKEN US QUITE SOME TIME
JUST TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE
WE ARE TODAY, EVEN WITH PUBLIC
COMMENT, AND SO THAT IS WHY
THERE ARE AS X OF THE BILL THAT
WOULD NULLIFY THE BILL IF AND
WHEN VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE ABLE
TO BE TAKEN PLACE.
THAT BARRIERS TO VIRTUAL
MEETINGS ARE NOT AREAS TO
VIRTUAL MEETINGS FOR SIX
MONTHS.
THEY ARE BARRIERS FOR THE HERE
AND NOW BECAUSE AT THIS DATE
AND TIME ARE WE ARE UNABLE TO
CREATE A VIRTUAL MEETING THAT
IS ABLE TO DIGEST THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE NATURE OF
THESE MEETINGS, SO IT IS MY HOPE
AS IT SOUNDS LIKE WITH YOU AS
WELL THAT WE GET THESE VIRTUAL
MEETINGS UP AND RUNNING AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME ANSWER
THAT QUESTION.>> THE SECOND
QUESTION WAS MORE, THIS ONE I
FIND MORE COMPELLING.
I AM FRANKLY NOT THERE YET ON
HOW INSURMOUNTABLE IT IS TO
HAVE THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
MY NEXT QUESTION, I SEE WHY
THERE MIGHT BE LIKE A DUE
PROCESS REASON.
THIS WOULD BE ABLE TO HAPPEN.
WHETHER THERE IS A WAY, THIS IS
I GUESS RELATED TO THE VIRTUAL
MEETINGS. THE EXTENSIVE AGENDAS
OF THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARDS AND
THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT
THEY PROMISED, I UNDERSTAND HOW
THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DO AND
A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH A LONG
AGENDA, SO I WONDER TO WHAT
EXTENT THE DEPARTMENT AND THOSE
BOARDS CAN TRIAGE PROJECTS
BASED ON THE CATEGORY OR NATURE
PROJECTS, OR OTHER THINGS TO
úLOWER THE AMOUNT OF PROJECTS
THAT ARE CONSIDERED ON A
TEMPORARY BASIS IF THERE WAS A
TRANSITION OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS,
IF THAT IS ANOTHER FACTOR THAT
COULD POTENTIALLY REDUCE IT.
OR WHAT PROBLEMS OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT I PRESENT.
THAT WAS THE SECOND QUESTION
FOR CLARIFICATION BEFORE WE
JUMP INTO AMENDMENTS.>> COULD
YOU FOCUS THE QUESTION THERE
REALLY?
>> RIGHT, SO THERE IS A LARGE
NUMBER OF ACTIONS THAT ARE ON
THE AGENDA FOR A LOT OF THESE
MEETINGS, LIKE TYPICALLY OVER
IN THE MEMO, THEY SAY TYPICALLY
OVER 30 POTENTIAL ACTIONS THAT
THEY ARE REQUESTING ACTION FROM
A DESIGN REVIEW WORK ON.
IF THERE IS A WAY THAT NUMBER
OF ACTIONS COULD BE REDUCED, SO
MAYBE THEY CONSIDER BETWEEN 10
AND 20 INSTEAD OF OVER 30, THAT
MIGHT BE ANOTHER LIMITING WAY
TO GET US THROUGH THE COVID
CRISIS, KEEP THE PIPELINE OPEN
FOR PROJECT, BUT MAYBE NOT AS
MANY AS WE WERE DOING PRE-
TRAN12.
THIS IS ALL ASSUMING WE
TRANSITION TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
I AM SAYING THAT ONE OF THE
HURDLES FUND HAS BEEN PRESENTED
IS THE VOLUME OF PROPOSALS.
SO I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT
THERE.
>> THANKS FOR THAT.
I WOULD SAY IT IS A VOLUME AND
COMPLEXITY ISSUE. SO BUILDING
PERMITS, MASTER USE PERMIT,
DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS IS TAKING
INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THIS
VERY NUANCED INFORMATION AND
REQUIRING FEEDBACK.
SO I GUESS I WOULD TAKE OUR
EXPERIENCE HERE AT THE COUNCIL
OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, AND I
BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN CALLING
SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
I STARTED CALLING ABOUT THREE
WEEKS AGO TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT VERY NUANCED INFORMATION,
THAT REALLY WE HERE ON CITY
COUNSEL, WE ARE GENERALISTS.
THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN
THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE THE
CORRECT INDIVIDUALS TO KNOW
WHEN AND HOW MUCH AND HOW
PROJECTS SHOULD SHIFT BECAUSE
THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT LAND-USE
THAN ANY OF US SITTING ON THE
COUNCIL, AND THAT IS WHY IT IS
IMPORTANT TO UNTIL VIRTUAL
MEETINGS ARE ABLE TO BE STOOD
UP, WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO HAPPEN IN SHORT ORDER,
WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THAT 60
DAY THRESHOLD FOR REPORTING,
BECAUSE IF THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO
STAND THEM UP WITHIN 60 DAYS, I
THINK THAT IS WHEN ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS ARE COMING.
AND SO I BRING BACK, I DON'T
DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT ABOUT
MAYBE BEING ABLE TO REDUCE
THOSE NUMBERS OF AGENDA ITEMS.
I SHARE WITH YOU THAT STANDING
UP A VIRTUAL MEETING WHERE YOU
ARE HAVING FEEDBACK ABOUT
COMPLEX DOCUMENTS IS EVEN MORE
COMPLEX THAN THE CONVERSATIONS
THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO
HAVE AROUND THE SUBJECT MATTER
OF THIS BILL, WHICH IS COMPLEX,
AND YET LESS COMPLEX THAN THE
DESIGN REVIEW.
>> I WILL MOVE US ALONG BECAUSE
IT IS 11:20. I THINK IF YOU
HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY THE
DEPARTMENT, IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO REACH
OUT DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT
TO GET FOLLOW-UP ON THOSE
QUESTIONS BEFORE 2 O'CLOCK
TODAY, WHICH IS WHEN WE WILL BE
CONSIDERING LEGISLATIVE ACTION
ON THIS PARTICULAR COUNSEL
BILL.
I WILL NOTE THAT ALL OF THE
POSSIBILITIES THAT YOU HAVE
PROPOSED IN YOUR LINE OF
QUESTIONING, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS ARE NOT POSSIBLE UNLESS
WE TAKE SOME KIND OF ACTION TO
DIVIDE TEMPORARY PERMITTING
PROCESS CHANGES IN THIS
CONTEXT.
SO IT WILL BE ALL FOR NAUGHT IN
TERMS OF THOSE POTENTIAL
OPPORTUNITIES IF WE DON'T
ADDRESS THE REALITIES OF THE
GOVERNORS ORDER AND
PROCLAMATION TO NOT CONVENE IN
PUBLIC, AND THE REALITIES OF
THE TICKING CLOCK THAT WE HAVE
BEFORE US AS IT RELATES TO SOME
OF THESE PERMITS AND SPECIFIC
PROJECTS DURING THIS PERIOD OF
THE EMERGENCY.
I THINK THAT IS WHY THIS
LEGISLATION IS TIME SENSITIVE
AND WHY WE ARE CONSIDERING IT
TODAY AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A
CLEAR SENSE OF WHAT THESE
AMENDMENTS WILL DO IN THE
CONTEXT OF DIVIDING SOME
TEMPORARY PERMITTING PROCESS
CHANGES TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T
INADVERTENTLY CLOG UP THE
SYSTEM.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM
KEEBLE AND LISH ON THE VARIOUS
AMENDMENTS THAT WILL COME BEFORE
COUNSEL AT 2 O'CLOCK AND I WILL
GO AHEAD AND DO SOME LIGHT
LOBBYING NOW, TO THE EXTENT
THAT YOU ALL CAN WORK WITH A
PRIMARY SPONSOR ON COLLAPSING
SOME OF THESE AMENDMENTS INTO
THE UNDERLYING BILL, THE
SMOOTHER I THINK THIS AFTERNOON
WILL GO.
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO
WORK WITH A PRIME SPONSOR ON
RESOLVING ANY OUTSTANDING ISSUES
BEFORE 2 O'CLOCK SO THAT WE CAN
MAKE THIS AFTERNOON GO AS
SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE.
I KNOW THAT IS A WISH I AM
PUTTING OUT THERE AND IF IT IS
NOT FEASIBLE, I UNDERSTAND WHY
IT MIGHT NOT BE, BUT MY HOPE IS
THAT THROUGH THE CONVERSATION
TODAY, WE CAN COALESCE AROUND
SOME POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS AND
HAVE A SMOOTH MEETING THIS
AFTERNOON AT 2 O'CLOCK.
SO PLEASE WALK US THROUGH THE
AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED BY
INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBERS.
>> IT WILL REMOVE AN AUTHORITY
GRANTED TO STC I AND THE
DEPARTMENT TO APPROVE CHANGES
TO SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND
IT WOULD REMOVE PROVISIONS IN
THE BILL THAT WOULD CANCEL
MEETINGS OF THE LANDMARKS BOARD
THE SPECIAL REVIEW BOARDS AND
OTHER HISTORIC BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS.
IT DOES RETAIN A PROVISION THAT
ALLOWS TIMELINES FOR DEPARTMENT
NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE TOLD, AND
IT STATES THAT THOSE TIMELINES
AND DEADLINES RELATED TO
HISTORIC LANDMARK REVIEW ARE
PUT ON HOLD FOR THE EARLIER OF
60 DAYS, OR WHEN THE YOUTH CAN
BE RESTARTED, INCLUDING
PROVIDING LANGUAGE ACCESS TO
PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE ENGLISH
AS A SPOKEN LANGUAGE.
ANY QUESTIONS?
>> SO I SEE A LOT OF THINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED, SO
THERE IS THE CHART, THERE IS A
CHART THAT DESCRIBES ALL THE
DIFFERENT CHANGES INCLUDING
CITATIONS TO THE PAGE OF THE
OPPOSED AMENDMENT SUBSTITUTE.
I SEE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN REMOVED, SO I WANT TO SORT
OF HEAR FROM YOU A DESCRIPTION
OF WHAT THIS SUBSTITUTE
AMENDMENT DOES IN THE POSITIVE
AS OPPOSED TO THE NEGATIVE SO
WE HAVE A CLEAR SENSE OF
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE THE
SUBSTITUTE PROPOSES REMOVAL OF
MANY OF THESE THINGS, WHAT DOES
THAT LEAVE?
>> SO IT LEAVES ALL OF THE
PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE
DESIGN REVIEW PROGRAM, SO THE
BILL WOULD CONTINUE TO SHIFT
DESIGN REVIEW PROJECTS, WHICH
ARE MANAGED BY THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION
INSPECTIONS TO AN
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS WHERE
MEETINGS DO NOT OCCUR.
FOR LANDMARK PROJECTS AND
PRODUCTS IN HISTORIC AND
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS, ONCE
MEETINGS ARE ABLE TO OCCUR,
THEY WILL OCCUR.
THE AGENDAS WILL PROBABLY BE
VERY HEAVY. THE UNDERLYING BILL
DOES PROPOSE TO TRIAGE THE
TYPES OF REVIEWS THAT THOSE
BOARDS USE, SO THE BOARDS WOULD
BE BACK TO REVIEWING BOTH LARGE
CHANGES IN CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR
MODIFICATIONS TO BUILDINGS AS
WELL AS MINOR CHANGES TO
STRUCTURES WITHIN HISTORIC
DISTRICTS AND LANDMARKS.
>> SO REALLY THE DISTINCTION
HERE IS THAT IT TRULY IS SORT
OF JUST A COMPLETE CUTTING OUT
OF ANY REVIEW WORK THAT WOULD BE
CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WOULD FALL
INTO THE LANDMARK PRESERVATION
CATEGORY OR THE HISTORIC
PRESERVATION CONTEXT.
>> ALSO, A PROVISION RELATED TO
THE SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT
THAT ALLOWS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
REVIEW OF SCHOOLS.
>> IF THIS SUBSTITUTE WERE TO
BE ADOPTED AND WE CREATED THAT
BIFURCATED SYSTEM OF HAVING
THINGS RELATED TO STC I GOING
FORWARD BECAUSE IT IS THROUGH
DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION, BUT
HAVING NOTHING CONSIDERED IN
THE CONTEXT OF LANDMARKS AND
HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN
SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONTEXT, WHAT IS THE IMPACT,
WHAT IS THE PRACTICAL IMPACT OF
THAT BIFURCATION PARTICULARLY
TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE
GOING TO BE EXEMPTED FROM THIS
BILL?
>> SO BASICALLY, ALL OF THE
LANDMARK AND HISTORIC DISTRICT
BOARDS WOULD START HAVING THEIR
MEETINGS. THEY WOULD HAVE A
HEAVY WORKLOAD BECAUSE THE LAST
TWO MONTHS, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
MEETING, AND THEIR MEETINGS
WOULD, THE INTENT OF THE
DEPARTMENT WOULD BE TO BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE TRANSLATION AND
DIGITAL ACCESS TO MEETINGS, BUT
I AM NOT SURE THAT THAT WILL BE
THE CASE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY.
>> IF THE GOVERNOR'S
PROCLAMATION IS STILL IN PLACE
AND PROHIBITS THE GATHERING OF
PEOPLE, THEN HOW IS THE
WORKPLAN YOU JUST DESCRIBED
GOING TO OCCUR IF THOSE
PROCESSES ARE EXEMPTED FROM THE
UNDERLYING BILL?>> SO WELL THEY
PROBABLY WILL NOT MEET UNTIL
THE OH PMA GOVERNORS ORDER HAS
BEEN MET, OR THEY CAN PROVIDE
AN ALTERNATIVE. A LOT OF THEIR
WORK IS NORMAL AND ROUTINE AND
NECESSARY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO
MAINTAIN THEIR STRUCTURES, AND
SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO MEET ON
THOSE SORTS OF ISSUES UNDER THE
ORDER.
>> OKAY.
>> WOULD MORE OR LESS LIKE TO
SPEAK TO THIS.
I DO HAVE COMMENTS ON THIS
SUBSTITUTE, BUT WOULD LIKE TO
YIELD TO THE COURT BEFORE I SAY
ANYTHING.
>> YOU JUST TOOK THE WORDS OUT
OF MY MOUTH.
I WAS HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO I WAS GOING TO HAND IT OVER
TO COUNCILMEMBER OR ALICE TO
ADDRESS HER PROPOSED
SUBSTITUTE, AND THEN WE WILL
OPEN IT BACK UP TO QUESTIONS.
>> UR ON MUTE. SO YOU WILL NEED
TO UNMUTE.
>> IS THAT BETTER?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> TO TECHNOLOGY.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US
ON THIS AMENDMENT, AND I WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
FOR THE WORK HE HAS DONE TO
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. I HAVE TO
SAY I DO THINK IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN BETTER FOR THE MAYOR TO
SUBMIT TWO SEPARATE BILLS TO
ADDRESS WHAT THIS BILL IS
TRYING TO DO. THE BILL CONFLATES
AND CONFUSES THE NEED FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORK WITH
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING
TO ADDRESS WITH THE SUBSTITUTE,
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE DO HAVE A
REAL NEED TO PRIORITIZE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE NEED
TO MAKESURE THAT WE CONTINUE
TO HAVE EQUITABLE IMMUNITY
INPUT, ESPECIALLY IN
COMMUNITIES WHOSE PRIMARY
LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH.
WE SHOULD NOT BE SACRIFICING
THAT DURING THIS CIVIL
EMERGENCY.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING
TO DO HERE.
WE ARE REMOVING THE EMERGENCY
SHIFT DECISION-MAKING FROM THE
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS, FROM
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE LANDMARK, THEN
LANDMARK REPORT AND YOU KNOW,
SUSPENDING THE DOM APPROVALS TO
THE EARLIER OF 60 DAYS OR THAT
DATES THAT BOARDS OF
COMMISSIONS CAN MEET VIRTUALLY
WITH LANGUAGE ACCESS, OR UNTIL
THE EMERGENCY IS OVER AND WE
CAN BEGIN MEETING IN PERSON
AGAIN.
SO THE INTENT HERE IS NOT TO
IMPACT THE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS, SO THAT WORK CAN
CONTINUE, AS COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS MENTIONED. THAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR THAT TO CONTINUE
SO WE CAN COMPLETE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS, BUT THE REAL
INTENT IS TO SEPARATE THAT WORK
FROM THE OTHER WORK THAT REALLY
ALLOWS COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN
INPUT AND HOW THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS FUNCTION.
>> OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COUNCILMEMBER
MORALE IS OR ANY ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION FROM CENTRAL STAFF
ON THAT?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE INTENT IN
AMENDMENT FORWARD. ING THIS
I DO BELIEVE AT THIS TIME IT IS
TOO BROAD-BASED TO RECEIVE MY
SUPPORT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS THAT
HAVE INCONSEQUENTIAL PRODUCTS,
WHEREAS I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE
SOME DISTRICTS THAT HAVE
CONTESTED PROJECTS.
SO I WELCOME ANY AMENDMENT TO
PULL ANY SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICTS OUT OF THIS WILL OR
ANY PARTICULAR PROJECTS, WHICH
YOU DO NOT BELIEVE SHOULD GO
THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW.
I WILL COME AS EXEMPTIONS
BECAUSE THE PRIORITY WITH THIS
BILL IS NOT TO REMOVE PUBLIC
INPUT FROM CONTESTED OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DECISIONS. THE
PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS BILL
IS TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD AND
BEING ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH STAFF
WORK AND PASS ROUTINE DECISIONS
. FOR INSTANCE, IF THERE IS A
SHOP OWNER IN THE SPECIAL
REVIEW DISTRICT THAT NEEDS TO
MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THEIR
EXTERIOR SIGN OR THEIR LIGHTING
OR THEIR DOOR, I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT THAT SHOULD BE HELD BECAUSE
WE HAVE MADE A DECISION THAT
ALL SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS
SHOULD STOP MEETING AT THIS
TIME.
ADDITIONALLY, ONE OF THE
AMENDMENTS THAT WE WILL SPEAK
OF LATER IS REGARDING THE
DESIGNATION OF HISTORIC
DESIGNATION, WHICH HAS A
PROCESS FOR PUBLIC INPUT. WE
HAVE DRAFTED AN AMENDMENT TO
ALLOW FOR THE CONTROLS AND
INCENTIVES WORK TO BE DONE BY
STAFF, EVEN WITHOUT THAT
DESIGNATION BEING MADE SO THAT
WE CAN CONTINUE HAVING OUR
STAFF WORKING WHILE WE ARE IN
THE STATE OF CIVIL EMERGENCY,
AND SO THAT WHEN THESE MEETINGS
OR VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE ABLE TO
TAKE PLACE, THAT FINAL
DESIGNATION IS ABLE TO OCCUR,
AND THEN THE CONTROLS AND
INCENTIVE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN
DONE.
I WELCOME MORE OF A SCALPEL TO
APPROACH RATHER THAN TAKING OUT
AN ENTIRE DEPARTMENT'S WORTH OF
THIS ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
ABOUT THE PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE
BILL?
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORED
LEGISLATION FOR THE OFFER HE
PUT OUT THERE.
I AM HOPING COUNCILMEMBER
MORALE IS, THERE IS A HANDFUL
OF EITHER DISTRICTS OR PROJECTS
THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND PERHAPS
BETWEEN NOW AND THIS AFTERNOON,
THE SPONSOR AND YOU MIGHT BE
ABLE TO COME BACK.
I APPRECIATE HIS COMMENT ABOUT
NEEDING MORE OF A TARGETED
APPROACH AND NO THERE IS A
SMALL HANDFUL OF EITHER AREAS
OR PROJECTS THAT YOU HAD IN
MIND.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A MORE
NARROW AMENDMENT FOR OUR
CONSIDERATION THIS AFTERNOON.
I JUST WANTED TO FLAG MY
SUPPORT FOR THAT CONCEPT.
>> THANK YOU.
I WOULD ALSO FLAG MY SUPPORT
FOR THAT MORE NARROWED APPROACH
. I WANT TO REACH OUT TO THE
DIRECTOR OF DOM TO HAVE A QUICK
CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF THIS PARTICULAR
SUBSTITUTE BILL, WHICH I SAW
FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY,
SO I AM JUST NOW, LIKE MANY OF
MY COLLEAGUES ABSORBING THE
CONTENT OF THE PROPOSED
SUBSTITUTE BILL BY
COUNCILMEMBER MORALE IS.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THE ATTEND,
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICTS ARE
CREATED EQUAL, AND THAT WHILE I
AGREE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE CENTERING EQUITY
AND HOW THESE SYSTEMS OR
PROCESSES ARE ACCESSED, IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE
THAT NOT ALL OF THE SPECIAL
REVIEW DISTRICTS ARE CREATED
EQUAL IN TERMS OF THOSE EQUITY
ISSUES, AND THUS, I THINK THE
TOOLS THAT ARE NEEDED TO
ADDRESS EQUITY ISSUES ARE BEING
FLAGGED BY COUNCILMEMBER MORALE
IS AND OTHERS NEED TO BE
SPECIFICALLY CATERED AS OPPOSED
TO BRUSHING A BROAD STROKE HERE
IN ALL OF THESE DISTRICTS.
I STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
BEFORE I FEEL LIKE I SUPPORT
THIS DIRECTION, BUT I WANTED TO
PUT THAT OUT FOR
CONSIDERATION.>> CAN I ASK FOR
CLARIFICATION? SO THIS IS
ACTUALLY FOR CENTRAL STAFF, BUT
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL PROCESS
AND ITS IMPACTS OR PERMITTING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
HISTORIC DISTRICTS REVIVED
CERTIFICATES OF APPROVAL MOSTLY
POOR PROJECTS THAT DO NOT
REQUIRE PERMITS. GO AHEAD.
>> THEY SOMETIMES DO REQUIRE
APPROVAL FOR PROJECTS THAT DO
NOT REQUIRE OTHER TYPES OF LAND-
USE PERMITS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO
GET A PERMIT FOR A NEW SIGN
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION, BUT
THAT IS REVIEWED BY THE
LANDMARKS BOARD, OR THE SPECIAL
REVIEW DISTRICT BOARD.
BUT MANY PROJECTS THAT ARE
REVIEWED BY THOSE BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING IN
PARTICULAR NEW CONSTRUCTION
WITHIN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE
LANDMARKS APPROVAL IS JUST ONE
PART OF THE TOTAL PERMITTING
PACKAGE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH
YOU ALL BEFORE 2 O'CLOCK TO SEE
WHAT WE CAN DO.
>> GREAT.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS ON THAT BILL, LET'S
MOVE TO THE NEXT PROPOSED
AMENDMENT, WHICH IS I BELIEVE A
SUBSTITUTE BILL BEING PROPOSED
BY COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> SO THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE.
COUNCILMEMBER STRESSES
SUBSTITUTE CLARIFIES AMENDMENTS
AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE
OFFICERS AUTHORITY AND MAKES A
COUPLE OF REQUESTS TO STC I
REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL. THE
STRESS SUBSTITUTE HAS
AMENDMENTS THAT WERE INITIATED.
I WILL WALK THROUGH EACH OF
THESE.
THE FIRST ARE LARGELY
CLARIFICATIONS RELATED TO
MODIFICATIONS TO THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROGRAM.
THE FIRST CLARIFIES THAT THE
SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY COULD
AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXEMPTION
THAT IS PROPOSED IN THE BILL
THAT WAS TRANSMITTED. THAT
EXEMPTION WOULD EXEMPT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND
ALLOW THEM TO RECEIVE
DEPARTURES ADMINISTRATIVELY
FROM THE DIRECTOR. AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS IS TO FIND
THAT HAS TO MEET CERTAIN
CRITERIA INCLUDING 40% OF THE
INCOME GOING TO HOUSEHOLDS
EARNING 60% INCOME AFTER 40
YEARS.
THE PROJECTS HAVE TO MAKE AN
APPLICATION TO STC I WHILE THE
ORDINANCE IS AN EFFECT.
SO WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT CLARIFIES
THE TYPE OF QUALIFYING DIGITAL
OR ELECTRONIC OUTREACH FOR
DESIGN REVIEW. PRIOR TO EARLY
DESIGN GUIDANCE, THERE IS A
REQUIREMENT THAT AN APPLICANT
SOLICITED INPUT THROUGH
COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THERE IS A
RULE THAT PRESCRIBES OUTREACH,
SO THIS IS A CLARIFICATION THAT
POINTS TO QUALIFYING DIGITAL
AND ELECTRONIC OUTREACH THAT
WOULD BE WHEN IN PERSON
MEETINGS CAN'T OCCUR.
THE NEXT FOUR MINUTES MODIFY
THE AUTHORITY OF THE DOM
DIRECTOR WITH CERTAIN
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS.
AMONG THOSE DECISIONS THE MAYOR
PROPOSED COULD BE DECISIONS
ABOUT REMOVAL OF HAZARD TREES,
TAKE THAT AUTHORITY OUT OF THE
BILL. IT WOULD ALSO AUTHORIZE
THE HISTORIC SUMMATION OFFICER
TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT DOOR
AND WINDOW REPLACEMENT, CALLED
STOREFRONT TREATMENTS. IT WAS
ALSO AUTHORIZE THE HISTORIC
SUMMATION OFFICER TO ADMINISTER
THE APPROVED AND HOUSE
INSTALLATIONS, WHERE THERE ARE
STANDARDS FOR THE PENTHOUSE
INSTALLATIONS IN THE CODE FOR
AND SECRETARY OF INTERIOR
GUIDANCE AND THERE IS ONLY ONE
TRUE IN THE SQUARE.
IT WOULD ALSO AUTHORIZE THE
OFFICER TO ADMINISTRATIVELY
APPROVED CERTIFICATES OF
APPROVAL WHEN THE FINAL DESIGN
SUBJECT TO THAT CERTIFICATE OF
APPROVAL HAS ALREADY GOTTEN
PRELIMINARY APPROVAL FROM THE
LANDMARKS BOARD AND IT DOES NOT
DEVIATE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THAT
APPROVAL.
FINALLY, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
NONQUALIFIED SECTION, THESE ARE
JUST REQUESTS TO THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE OF THE SHOP.
A WORLD RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION
WORKPLACE SAFETY IN THIS TIME
OF COVID.
WE SPOKE TO THAT ONE EARLIER,
AND FINALLY A REQUEST TO REPORT
FROM D.O.
AND AN PROGRESS TOWARDS
STANDING OUT VIRTUAL MEETINGS
WITHIN 60 DAYS. MAY 15 IS THE
GENERAL TIMEFRAME FROM WHICH
WORK WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE
COUNCIL.
THAT IS THE STRESS SUBSTITUTE.>>
BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP TO
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, I WANT
TO PROVIDE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK TO YOUR SUBSTITUTE
BILL.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS SUBSTITUTE BILL IS A
DIRECT PRODUCT OF YOUR REQUEST
TO MERGE AS MANY OF THE
AMENDMENTS AS POSSIBLE TO
CREATE A SMOOTH COUNCIL MEETING
FOR THIS AFTERNOON, AND I COULD
NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT
COUNCILMEMBER COVID , YOUR
INPUT INTO THIS HAS BEEN
CRITICAL, AND I MUST GIVE BOTH
OF YOU THE MAJORITY OF THE
CREDIT FOR BEING ABLE TO HAVE
THIS SUBSTITUTE READY FOR THIS
AFTERNOON.
WHAT I SAY IS THAT I AM A THE
IDEA IS THAT WE ALLOW STAFF TO
CONTINUE WORKING AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE AND PERMIT OR APPROVED
THINGS THAT HAVE ONLY BEEN
ALREADY BEFORE THE FULL BODY,
IF THERE ARE NUANCES OR
NARROWING WITHIN THIS
SUBSTITUTE, I WELCOME IT
BECAUSE THE PASSAGE OF THE
OVERALL BILL IS MOST IMPORTANT
TO ME.
I DO BELIEVE THE ELEMENTS
REGARDING SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICTS ARE IMPORTANT AND I
WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL GO AHEAD
AND MOVE TO THE NEXT AMENDMENT,
WHICH WOULD BE AMENDMENT, A
SUBSTITUTE TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRESSES SUBSTITUTE. I'M SORRY,
CENTRAL STEPS SHOULD LET US
KNOW THAT IF COUNCILMEMBER
PARALYSIS SUBSTITUTE BILL
FAILED, I AM ASSUMING THIS
WOULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION.
>> YES.
IF THE SUBSTITUTE FAILS, YOU
CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
THERE MAY BE PROVISIONS WITHIN
THAT SUBSTITUTE THAT COULD
STILL MOVE FORWARD, BUT NOT ALL
OF THE REVISIONS IN HIS
SUBSTITUTE COULD.
>> CAN ME GO THROUGH THE
SUBSTITUTE TO THE STRESS
SUBSTITUTE VERSION?
>> YES. SO I THINK WE ARE
RECOMMENDING PULLING THAT
VERSION BECAUSE IF YOU ACT ON
THE SUBSTITUTE EITHER RAY, THEN
YOU HAVE CONSIDERED THAT, AND SO
THERE IS NOT THE ALTERNATIVE TO
REVIEW. ONCE YOU HAVE CONSIDERED
THE SUBSTITUTE ONCE, I DON'T
THINK THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO COME BACK AND CONSIDER IT
AGAIN.
>> OKAY.
SO THE ITEM LISTED AS SEQUENCE
NUMBER THREE NEEDS TO BE
STRICKEN?
>> YES.
>> OKAY, SO WE WILL MOVE ON.
LET'S ADDRESS THEN THE NEXT
ITEM, WHICH WOULD BE MOSQUITOES
AMENDMENT ONE.
>> THIS IS ONE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAD
DESCRIBED EARLIER.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT IS
RELATED TO CONTINUITY REVIEW.
IT WOULD ALLOW PROJECTS THAT
ELECT TO GO THROUGH
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW TO
THE TERMS OF THE ORDINANCE TO
STAY IF TWO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
MET.
THEY COULD STAY IF THEY HAVE
COMPLETED THE EARLY DESIGN
GUIDANCE PHASE OF DESIGN
REVIEW, OR IF THE DIRECTOR
DETERMINES THAT A RETURN TO
FULL DESIGN REVIEW WOULD PUSH
THEM BACK PAST THE TIME LIMIT
FOR PERMIT REVIEWS SET OUT IN
THE CODE.
THIS IS ABOUT HALF OF THE
PROJECTS COULD PROBABLY AVAIL
THEMSELVES OF THIS.
THERE ARE ABOUT 30 PRODUCTS
CURRENTLY IN DESIGN REVIEW IN
THE GUIDANCE PHASE.
THOSE OF THE PROJECT THAT COULD
AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THIS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I AM
HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.>> THANK
YOU.
IT LOOKS LIKE COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLT HAVE A QUESTION.
BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO
QUESTIONS, YOU WOULD TRUST
THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT IN
YOUR COMMENTS DURING YOUR
REPORT.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU
WANTED TO ADD?
>> YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO ADD IN
TERMS OF DETAILS YOU HEARD FROM
CENTRAL STAFF.
I WILL SAY THIS AMENDMENT IS AN
INTENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
HITTING THE CRUX OF THE
LEGISLATION, WHICH IS TO CREATE
CERTAINTY AND CONTINUITY AND
ALSO ADHERING TO THE LEGAL
GUIDELINES FOR THE EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION.
SO THE INTENT HERE IS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE PROGRESS THAT HAS
BEEN MADE AND THE WORK THAT IS
DONE DURING THIS TIME IS NOT
LOST WHEN THERE IS CHANGE, AND
WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO HOLD IN
PERSON MEETINGS OR VIRTUAL
MEETINGS AGAIN, WE GO AHEAD AND
DO THAT, BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO
LOSE THE GOOD WORK THAT HAS
BEEN DONE.
I THINK THAT IT IS AN EFFORT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T WASTE
TIME AND RESOURCES BY RESTARTING
. THIS AMENDMENT PROVIDES
CLARITY IN TERMS OF GUIDELINES
ON WHEN A PROJECT MAY CONTINUE
ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARE DYING
REVIEW TRACT.
I HOPE THAT IS HELPFUL AND
THANK YOU AGAIN TO CENTRAL
STAFF FOR YOUR HELPFUL WORK ON
THIS AND THE SUMMARY THAT YOU
PROVIDED TO COUNSEL.
APPRECIATED.
>> OKAY.
I SAW YOUR HAND GO UP WITH A
QUESTION OR COMMENT.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
AS FAR AS THE TIMING WHEN THIS
DECISION MAY BE MADE TO ALLOW
THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS, I'M SORRY, FOR ANY
PROJECT THAT HE LIKES TO GO
THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN
REVIEW TESDAY AND THAT TRACK,
WHEN IS THE BRACKETS FOR WHEN
THE DIRECTOR WOULD MAKE THAT
PERMISSIVE DECISION TO ALLOW
THOSE PROJECTS TO CONTINUE
THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN
REVIEW?
WOULD THOSE DECISIONS BE MADE
AT A TIME THAT WE ARE NO LONGER
IN A CRISIS WHERE MEETINGS
CAN'T OCCUR?
OR IS IT JUST RESTRICTED TO
THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THIS
PERIOD OF TIME WHEN WE ARE
UNABLE TO HAVE MEETINGS.
>> THERE WE GO.
THIS CHANGE WOULD ONLY BE IN
EFFECT FOR 180 DAYS, UNLESS
THAT IS MODIFIED BY THE COUNCIL
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
SO AS THE BILL IS PROPOSED
REQUIRES THAT PROJECT SWITCH
BACK AT THE EARLIER OF THREE
POINTS, ONE IS WHEN THE BILL IS
NO LONGER EFFECTIVE, WHICH IS
180 DAYS, WHEN VIRTUAL MEETINGS
RECOMMENDS OR WHEN IN PERSON
MEETINGS START WITH COMPLY WITH
PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE.
IF YOU ARE IN PROJECT NOW THAT
RECEIVED AN EARLY DESIGN
GUIDANCE DECISION WITH THE BOARD
AND YOU AVAILED YOURSELF OF
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW,
AND VIRTUAL MEETINGS WERE STOOD
UP BEFORE THE BILL EXPIRES, YOU
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE PROPOSED
AMENDMENT.
HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE NOT
COMPLETED EARLY DESIGN GUIDANCE
AND YOU GO THROUGH EARLY DESIGN
GUIDANCE OR YOU HAVE ALREADY
GONE THROUGH EARLY DESIGN
GUIDANCE, SO YOU GOT GUIDANCE
FROM THAT LAND USE PLAN OR THE
BOARD, IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH
TO HAVE GOTTEN THAT ALREADY,
THEN YOU COULD AVAIL YOURSELF
OF THIS AMENDMENT AND GET A
DECISION THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW WITHOUT BOARD
INPUT.
I AM NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.>> I THINK IT
DOES.
SO THE BILL AS DRAFTED, THE
AUTHORITY FOR IT LAST FOR SIX
MONTHS.
BUT IF WE ARE ABLE, IF FOLKS
ARE ABLE TO RESUME IN PERSON
MEETINGS AND THREE MONTHS, BUT
THEY HAVE ALREADY, THE PROJECT
HAS ALREADY RECEIVED ITS EARLY
DESIGN REVIEW GUIDANCE IN TWO
MONTHS, IT IS ABLE TO CONTINUE
ALONG THE ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN
REVIEW PASS?
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ABOUT THE AMENDMENT?
I HAVE ONE AND IT IS MORE
PROCESS ORIENTED.
SO IS THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT
IN CONFLICT WITH SOMETHING IN
THE STRESS SUBSTITUTE, OR IS IT
JUST NOT SEEN AS A FRIENDLY
AMENDMENT OR WAS IT A
STANDALONE?
>> AS A SPONSOR OF THE BILL,
THIS IS A VERY UNFRIENDLY
AMENDMENT.
SO FRIENDLY I ALMOST SPONSORED
IT MYSELF.
SHARING THE WEALTH IN OUR
ABILITY TO MAKE THIS A BETTER
BILL.
>> OKAY.
SO THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS
BILL THAT WOULD CONFLICT WITH
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL?
>> IT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH
THE SUBSTITUTE BILL.
IT IS A QUESTION FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT IT IS A BIG ENOUGH CHANGE
THAT IT ARISES TO A POLICY
CHOICE.>> THANK YOU, I
APPRECIATE THAT VERIFICATION
FROM A PROCESS POINT OF VIEW,
AND IF THERE ARE NO OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, WE WILL
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AMENDMENT.
SEEING AND HEARING NONE, LET'S
MOVE TO HERBOLT AMENDMENT ONE.
>> SO HERBOLT AMENDMENT ONE
WOULD DELETE THE PROPOSED
PROVISION THAT EXEMPTS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS
THAT MEETS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
FROM DESIGN REVIEW.
PROJECTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS ARE CERTAINLY SUBJECT
TO A PENETRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW,
SO THERE ARE NO IN PERSON
MEETINGS REQUIRED FOR THIS
PROJECT, SO THIS IS JUST A
CHOICE ABOUT THE POLICY PUT IN
FRONT OF THE COUNSEL.
>> SO I WILL TRANSLATE WHAT I
THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IN TERMS
OF THE POLICY CHOICE.
HERBOLT AMENDMENT ONE
CONFLICTS WITH MOSQUEDA
AMENDMENT ONE.
>> IT DOES NOT.
THEY CAN BOTH BE ACTED ON
TOGETHER.
THIS IS IN A SEPARATE SECTION
OF CHAPTER 2341. IT IS NOT IN
CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER.
THE MAYOR HAS INVITED THE
COUNCIL TO MAKE A POLICY CHOICE
HERE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS AND EXEMPTING THEM
FROM DESIGN REVIEW ON AN
EMERGENCY BASIS.
SO HERBOLT'S AMENDMENT WOULD
NOT AFFORD AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
EXEMPT.
>> IT WOULD NOT EXEMPT THEM
FROM DESIGN REVIEW, IS THAT
WHAT I AM HEARING?>> CORRECT.
THEY WOULD STILL GO THROUGH
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW.>>
GOT IT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR
PROPOSED AMENDMENT?
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY THAT
IT IS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH
AMENDMENT ONE, WHICH I AM
INCLINED TO SUPPORT.
SO MY AMENDMENT PROPOSES TO
DELETE THE PROVISION THAT
EXEMPTS AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS FROM MEETING CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS AS REQUIRED BY
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW.
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW
HAS BEEN IN PLACE ONLY SINCE
JULY OF 2018.
REVISITING ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS MIGHT BE A
GOOD POLICY DISCUSSION.
I BELIEVE STRONGLY IT DOES NOT
FALL WITHIN THE CORNERS OF THE
GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION 2028
ISSUED IN FEBRUARY. AGAIN, AS
WE KNOW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY SUBJECT
TO ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN
REVIEW.
THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE IN PERSON
MEETINGS, AND SO THE FACT THAT
THESE BILLS ARE REALLY FOCUSED
ON THE CURRENT EMERGENCY
ASSOCIATED WITH THE INABILITY
TO HAVE IN PERSON MEETINGS, I
BELIEVE THIS IS OUT OF THE SCOPE
OF THE LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE
PERMITTED TO HEAR AT THIS
PARTICULAR TIME.
THE FINDINGS IN THE BILL ITSELF
SAY THAT THE ORDINANCE PROVIDES
AN EXEMPTION FROM DESIGN REVIEW
AND IT GOES ON TO SAY EXEMPTING
THESE PROJECTS FROM DESIGN
REVIEW AND LIMITING, ALLOWING
LIMITED THE PURCHASE TO BE
GRANTED OUTSIDE OF THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROCESS WILL SHORTEN THE
TIME REQUIRED FOR THESE
PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETE, TO
COMPLETE THE PROCESS.
ADVANCING THE DATE BY WHICH
THEY CAN BE CONSTRUCTED AND THE
ALLOTTED DEPARTURES SEEK TO
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
ALL WORTHY GOALS, BUT THIS IS
THE TERM THAT CENTRAL STAFF
USES IS A TEMPORAL SHIFT.
THIS FINDING IS RELATED TO
RECOVERY, IT IS NOT RELATED TO
ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CHALLENGE POSED BY IN PERSON
MEETING REQUIREMENTS ON THE
WILL OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS,
AND FINALLY, THERE MIGHT BE
SOME REAL TIME SAVINGS
REALIZED, BUT THE DELIVERY OF
UNITS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE
PERMITS WOULD BE A YEAR OR MORE
AWAY.
I TAKE THE GUIDANCE FROM THE
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND THE
GOVERNOR VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE HAVE TWO PATHS, WE CAN HEAR
THE LEGISLATION OR RECEIVED
REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS ON ISSUES
THAT ARE NECESSARY AND ROUTINE,
OR LEGISLATION THAT IS
NECESSARY TO RESPOND TO THE
COVID OUTBREAK AND PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY.
I BELIEVE THIS SECTION OF THE
BILL DOES NEITHER.
I HAVE CHECKED WITH DOCTOR
TERKEL SO, HE HAS CONFIRMED FOR
ME THAT ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY
EXPEDITED, PRIORITIZED IN THE
DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS, AS WELL
AS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
PERMITTING PROCESS.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE
PRIORITIZED THROUGH THE
MINISTRY TO DESIGN REVIEW AND
ENTIRE PERMITTING PROCESS AND I
HAVE ALSO CONFIRMED WITH
DIRECTOR TOTAL SO THAT THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS
MENTIONED IN HIS MEMO FROM LAST
WEEK LOCATED IN LAKE CITY, BUT
HER LEG, COLUMBIA CITY AND
REGNIER BEACH, THESE PROJECTS
NOT ONLY HAVE A PRIORITY IN THE
ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS, BUT ALL OF THEM WILL
BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE EARLY
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AS
REQUIRED.
AGAIN, I FEEL THIS AMENDMENT IS
NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT
MIGHT BE GOOD PUBLIC POLICY TO
EXEMPT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS FROM ADMINISTRATIVE
DESIGN REVIEW, BUT IT IS COMING
FROM A PLACE WHERE I STRONGLY
BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO ADHERE
TO THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF
THE PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY THE
GOVERNOR AS WELL AS THE
ACCOMPANYING GUIDANCE FROM THE
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THANK YOU.
>> STRAUSS, I SEE YOU HAVE
RAISED YOUR HAND, SO I WILL
YIELD THE FLOOR TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS.
I ALSO STARTED IN THE SAME
PLACE AS YOU BECAUSE I DO NOT
WANT TO THE ITEMS THAT ARE
EXTRANEOUS TO THIS BILL BEING
INCLUDED.
I AGREE THAT THESE ARE SMART
POLICY DISCUSSONS THAT WE
SHOULD TAKE UP FOR A
NONEMERGENCY MATTER AT A
DIFFERENT TIME.
THE REASON THE INTERSECTION
THAT YOU DID NOT DISCUSS THAT I
SEE AS BEING CENTRAL TO THE
REASON THIS IS INCLUDED IN THIS
BILL IS IF WE ARE TAKING A
TRUDGE OVER THAT IS USUALLY
DONE BY VOLUNTEERS AND SHIFTING
THAT ONTO STAFF, THEN THAT
STAFF HAS A LARGER AMOUNT OF
WORK WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE.
SO WHILE THE DIRECTORS EMAIL
SAYS THAT FTCA GIVES PERMIT, AND
I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED
PERMISSION TO READ FROM THE
EMAIL, THEY GIVE PRIORITY
PERMITTING FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PRODUCTS WHEN 100% OF
THE UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE FOR
THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
I AGREE THIS IS THE POLICY
CHOICE AND POSITION OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE.
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE AGAIN
CONTINUED TO REQUIRE, IF WE
MOVED A TRUDGE OF VOLUNTEER
WORK INTO STOP WORK AND HAVE
NOT GIVEN THE STAFF ANY RELIEF,
THEN WE HAVE REALLY FUNNELED A
LOT OF PRESSURE ONTO THOSE
STAFF, AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO WALK OUR
TALK I AND PRIORITIZE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO CONTINUE
MOVING FORWARD.
>> CAN I RESPOND TO THAT?
>> MY FINAL COMMENT IS AGAIN,
MY OVERALL GOAL FOR TODAY IS
THAT THIS BILL PASSES.
I THINK THIS IS A SMART POLICY
CHOICE TO MAKE DURING THIS BILL
FOR THE REASON THAT I OUTLINED
PREVIOUSLY, AND I WILL
REITERATE MY OVERALL GOAL FOR
TODAY IS FOR THIS BILL TO
PASS.>> HERBOLT, YOU WOULD LIKE
TO RESPOND.
>> I WANT TO REITERATE THAT
THE FINDINGS IN THE BILL THAT
SUPPORT OUR ACTION ON THIS
SECTION OF THE BILL ARE REALLY
FOCUSED ON TIME SAVINGS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROCESS.
TIME SAVINGS THAT ARE
TRANSLATED INTO STAFF TIME.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THAT
THE SAME NUMBER OF STAFF
REVIEWING MORE PROJECTS IS
GOING TO CREATE POTENTIALLY A
BOTTLENECK.
WE KNOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
WILL BE PRIORITIZED IN THE
BOTTLENECK, BUT AGAIN, OUR
FINDINGS IN OUR BILL TALKS ABOUT
DELIVERY OF UNITS FOR PEOPLE
WHO NEED HOUSING, AND THE
DELIVERY OF THOSE UNITS WILL BE
A YEAR OR MORE AWAY.
THESE ARE THE FINDINGS THAT WE
ARE USING TO JUSTIFY ON THIS
SESSION OF THE BILL.
IF THERE ARE FINDINGS THAT ARE
ABOUT, AND I QUOTE RESPONDING
TO THE COVID OUTBREAK AND
CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY,
WE HAVE TO REFLECT THAT THE
LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE VOTING
ON IS ADDRESSING THINK THAT ARE
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AS IT STANDS NOW, THE
LEGISLATION DOES NOT DO THAT.>>
ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT YOUR
AMENDMENT ADDRESSES THAT GAP IN
THE LEGISLATION?
>> BY STRIKING THE PART OF THE
LEGISLATION THAT IS NOT
NECESSARY TO RESPOND TO THE
OUTBREAK AND CURRENT PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY, YES.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
I SAW THAT YOU RAISED YOUR
HAND.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU ARE
COMING FROM ON THIS AS WELL.
I THINK THAT OUR GOAL IS THE
SAME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS, AND AS A COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HAS ASKED US TO DO,
WE NARROW OUR THOUGHT. I THINK
IT IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE
HERE AS THE SHERIFF HOUSING AND
COMING FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
BACKGROUND, I THINK THE INTENT
THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AND
REMEMBER IN THIS DISCUSSION IS
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO RESPOND
TO THE CRISIS, AND I THINK THE
POINT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND HOUSING IN GENERAL IS A
PUBLIC HEALTH SOLUTION TO THE
CRISIS OF COVID IS SLIGHTLY
BEING LOST.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE
COMING FROM.
I THINK MY CONCERN WITH THE
AMENDMENT AS HAS BEEN OUTLINED
IS IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT HOUSING PROJECTS TAKE
A YEAR OR MORE.
BECAUSE OF THAT, WE NEED TO
MEET THE NEED NOW AND BECAUSE
OF THE TRAJECTORY THAT IT TAKES
TO APPROVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
I AM CONCERNED THAT ANY SORT OF
BOTTLENECK THAT RESULTS IN
DELAYS A YEAR FROM NOW COULD
IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO HOUSE AND
TREAT AND ISOLATE PEOPLE WHO
MADE THE AFFECTED BY COVID.
IN MY OPINION, HAVING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS PART OF
THIS PACKAGE HERE IS A CRITICAL
FOUR HOURS RESPONSE TO COVID,
WHILE THOSE HOUSING UNITS MIGHT
BE ON THE HORIZON, WE STILL
DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL HAVE A
VACCINE IN 18 MONTHS.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW AND
VISUALS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED
BY COVID RIGHT NOW MAY OR MAY
NOT SEE REMISSION, AND WE ALSO
KNOW ON TOP OF THAT AS YOU
HAVE DONE A STRONG ADVOCATE OF,
WE HAD HOUSING CRISIS BEFORE
THIS.
I THINK OUR REGION HAS A NEED
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MOVING
FORWARD, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS. I FEEL
CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL BE
INCLUDED AND WE CAN MAKE SURE
WE GET THESE PROJECTS UP AND
RUNNING, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE
LONG NATURE IN WHICH WE HAVE
SEEN HOUSING PROJECTS GO
FORWARD.
I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
I UNDERSTAND WE WANT TO BE
SPECIFIC TO THE CURRENT PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS IN FRONT OF US IN
MY PERSPECTIVE INCLUDING BY
CREATING ADDITIONAL HOUSING.
I WANTED TO WEIGH IN ON WHERE I
WAS COMING FROM WITH MY
CONCERNS ABOUT THE AMENDMENT.
>> I WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK
YOUR POINTS IN GENERAL AROUND
THE GOVERNORS PROCLAMATION AND
THE ORDER ARE WELL-MADE, AND I
THINK ACCEPTED IN THE SPIRIT
THAT THEY ARE BEING OFFERED.
I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE
ADVANCE OF THIS BILL, THAT WE
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
COMMUNICATING VERY CLEARLY TO
THE AGENCIES THAT IT IS OUR
ABSOLUTE EXPECTATION AND
REQUIREMENT THAT THE ISSUES
RELATED TO VIRTUAL PUBLIC
MEETINGS OF THE DESIGN REVIEW
BOARD AND THE HISTORIC BOARDS
BE ADDRESSED WITHIN A
REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME AFTER
PASSAGE.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE NOW
PORTIONS OF THE BILL THAT GIVE
ME CONFIDENCE THAT THAT WILL
OCCUR AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I
THINK WE HAVE RECEIVED A STRONG
REPRESENTATION FROM THE
EXECUTIVES THAT THEY WILL DIG
INTO IDENTIFYING WAYS TO STAND
UP AND SET UP VIRTUAL PUBLIC
MEETINGS WITHIN A REASONABLE
PERIOD OF TIME, BUT I
ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE TRANSPARENT
AND NARROW IN OUR APPLICATION OF
THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
I WILL SAY THAT I APPRECIATED
FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST WEEK,
ON FRIDAY THAT THE GOVERNORS
PROCLAMATION IS ONLY IN EFFECT
UNTIL APRIL 23.
WHICH FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE
FOLLOWING THE CALENDAR, THAT IS
IN THREE DAYS.
THE PROCLAMATION EXPIRES.
I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THAT
PROCLAMATION AND ITS DIRECTIVES
WILL BE EXTENDED BEYOND THE
23rd.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FIRM
RESPONSE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
IT WILL BE EXTENDED BEYOND 23
APRIL. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
IT REQUIRES BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
AND APPROVAL IN ORDER TO EXTEND
THOSE TYPES OF PROCLAMATIONS,
AND SO IF THAT IS NOT OBTAINED
BY THE 23rd, THEN WE COULD FIND
OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE
THE PROVISIONS THAT WE ARE
DEBATING RIGHT NOW BECOME A
LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX AND
MORE NUANCED IN TERMS OF HOW TO
MOVE FORWARD SO JUST BE AWARE
THAT THERE IS AN OPEN QUESTION
THAT IS A MASSIVE VARIABLE THAT
IS NOT WITHIN OUR CONTROL
RELATED TO THE ONGOING
APPLICABILITY OF THE GOVERNORS
ORDER PROCLAMATION AS IT
RELATES TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS
AND PUBLIC FACILITIES ALIKE SET
TO EXPIRE ON 23 APRIL AND WE
ARE WAITING TO SEE IF IT WILL
BE EXTENDED.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE MADE A
REQUEST THAT IT BE EXTENDED TO
BE CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT
SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER ISSUED
BY THE GOVERNOR AND I KNOW THAT
THE KING COUNTY HAS ISSUED A
SIMILAR REQUEST, BUT IT DOES
REQUIRE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
AS WE SAW OVER THE WEEKEND,
THERE ARE MEMBERS ON THE
REPUBLICAN SIDE WHO ARE NOW
PROTESTING ONGOING SHELTER AND
PLACE ORDERS, INCLUDING RIGHT
HERE IN OUR OWN STATE, SO IT IS
UNCLEAR TO ME HOW THE POLITICS
WILL BLEED INTO WHAT SHOULD
OTHERWISE BE AN APOLITICAL
CONVERSATION AROUND PUBLIC
GATHERINGS AND OUR PUBLIC
RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY.
I WANT TO FLAG THAT AND MAKE
SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTOOD
THERE IS A VARIABLE FLOATING
OUT THERE THAT COULD IMPACT THE
CONVERSATION WE ARE CURRENTLY
HAVING.
>> THANK YOU.
I DO JUST WANT TO CIRCLE BACK
TO REITERATING I WAS IN THE
SAME PLACE AS YOU ABOUT A WEEK
AGO BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO
EXPAND THIS BILL BEYOND
DIRECTLY RESPONDING TO THE
CRISIS.
THE REASON WE DID NOT INCLUDE
THIS INFORMATION, OR I DID NOT
REQUEST THIS INFORMATION TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE FINDINGS OF THE
BILL, OR IN THE MEMOS REGARDING
DESIGN REVIEW IS BECAUSE THAT
IS WHERE I THOUGHT THE MAJORITY
OF THE QUESTIONS WERE STILL IN
PLACE, AND SO I WAS NOT SWAYED
UNTIL I HAD A MORE FIRM
UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT ON
OUR STAFF TIME, AS A RESPONSE
TO THE COVID CRISIS, AND THAT
IS WHAT CHANGED MY OPINION FROM
WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.
AGAIN, LOOKING TO SEE PASSAGE
OF THE OVERALL BILL IS MOST
IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.>> OKAY
COLLEAGUE, IT IS 12:11.
I KNOW WE WILL START LOSING
SOME COUNCILMEMBERS HERE AND WE
ARE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH OUR
PREVIEW OF WHAT TO EXPECT THIS
AFTERNOON, AND ON COUNCILMEMBER
REPORTS.
SO I AM GOING TO HAVE US MOVE
ALONG TO THE LIST.
WE HAVE THREE MORE AMENDMENTS
TO DISCUSS ON THIS PARTICULAR
COUNSEL BILL.
SO I AM GOING TO ASK THAT WE
MOVED TO THE HERBOLT AND STRESS
AMENDMENT SIX.
>> THIS AMENDMENT IS RELATED TO
THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PART
OF THE BILL.
BELLY AND MARKING PROCESS FOR A
STRUCTURE SITE, INVOLVES A
MULTISTEP PROCESS.
THE PROJECT IS NOMINATED TO BE
CONSIDERED AS A LANDMARK IF IT
MEETS THE CRITERIA OF THE
LANDMARKS BOARD DESIGNATES IT
AS A LANDMARK.
ONLY ONCE THAT DESIGNATION HAS
BEEN APPROVED DOES THE STAFF
START TO NEGOTIATE THE SPECIFIC
ELEMENTS OF THE LANDMARK THAT
NEED TO BE PRESERVED.
THIS AMENDMENT ALLOWS FOR THAT
NEGOTIATION TO START HAPPENING
FOR THOSE FIVE OR SIX POTENTIAL
LANDMARKS THAT HAVE GONE
THROUGH THE NOMINATION STAGE,
BUT NOT YET BEEN DESIGNATED
LANDMARKS.
SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL SHORTEN
SOME TIME AT THE BACKEND ONCE
THE LANDMARKS BOARD IS UP AND
RUNNING TO ALLOW THEM TO
QUICKLY CONSIDER THAT
DESIGNATION AND STATUS
AGREEMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT OR
STRAUSS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
ADDRESS THE AMENDMENT?
>> I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATED
WORKING WITH COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS ON THIS AMENDMENT.
THIS WAS A PROPOSAL THAT WAS
BROUGHT FORWARD FROM AN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER, AND
I ALSO WORKED WITH HISTORIC
SEATTLE AND TRYING TO ADDRESS
ANY CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD WITH
THE CONCEPT, AND LISH IN HIS
INFINITE WISDOM CAME UP WITH
ANOTHER APPROACH THAT SATISFIES
BOTH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROVIDER AS IT RELATES TO THEIR
PROJECT, AND HISTORIC SEATTLE,
AND I AM ANTICIPATING COUNCIL
PRESIDENT GONZALES THAT SINCE
THIS IS COSPONSORED BY MYSELF
AND COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS THAT
YOU MIGHT WANT TO ROLL IT INTO
THE SUBSTITUTE, AND I HAVE NO
OBJECTIONS TO DOING SO.
>> THANK YOU.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
STRAUSS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
ADDRESS THIS AMENDMENT?
>> JUST TO SAY THAT I HAD AN
INITIAL AMENDMENT DRAFTED THAT
WOULD GET AT THE INTENT OF THIS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT'S INPUT
MADE THIS MORE NUANCED AND A
BETTER AMENDMENT OVERALL.
THIS WOULD NOT BE IN PLACE
TODAY WITHOUT COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLT.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE
HERBOLT AND STRAUSS AMENDMENT?
WE WILL MOVE TO THE HERBOLT
AMENDMENT 2. WHO FROM COUNSEL
CENTRAL STAFF WILL ADDRESS
THAT?
>> IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE, SINCE
WE ARE PRESSED FOR TIME, MAYBE
TALK ABOUT 2 AND 3 TOGETHER.
>> WHY DON'T WE DO THAT.
IS THAT YOU?
>> YES.
AENDMENT 2 WOULD REDUCE THE
TERM OF THE TEMPORARY CHANGES
MADE BY THE BILL FROM 180 DAYS
TO 60 DAYS.
AMENDMENT THREE IN SOME WAYS
MAY BE AN ALTERNATIVE TO
AMENDMENT 2. I WILL LET HERBOLT
SPEAK TO HER INTENTION HERE.
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD MAKE
CHANGES TO THE ASPECTS OF THE
BILL THAT ARE ADMINISTERED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT STRESSED THAT THEY WOULD
MIRROR THE VISIONS, SPECIFICALLY
THE HEALTH AUTHORITY GRANT TO
THE BOARD, OR THE SUSPENSION OF
BOARD MEETINGS WOULD BE FOR 60
DAYS, WHEN VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE
POSSIBLE AND WHEN IN PERSON
MEETINGS RESUME THAT IMPROVE
PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THESE
AMENDMENTS?
>> YES.
I THINK AGAIN THAT THE INTENT
IS REALLY THE SAME, BUT BEING
MADE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
BILL, AMENDMENT 2 WOULD REDUCE
THE TERM OF THE TEMPORARY
CHANGES MADE BY THE BILL FROM
SIX MONTHS TO TWO MONTHS, AND
AMENDMENT THREE WOULD MODIFY
THE SUSPENSION OF MEETINGS TO
THE EARLIER OF 60 DAYS WHEN
VIRTUAL MEETINGS ARE POSSIBLE
OR WHEN IN PERSON MEETINGS
RESUME.
THE INTENT OF BOTH OF THESE
AMENDMENTS IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT
THE COUNCIL FEELS URGENCY ON
THE PART OF ENCOURAGING AS TCI,
AND DOM TO STAND UP VIRTUAL
MEETINGS TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS
ON BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE DESIGN
REVIEW AND THE LANDMARK PROCESS
AND IF FOR SOME REASON IN TWO
MONTHS, WE HAVE FOUND THAT THAT
WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO STAND UP
THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, WHICH I
FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE, WE
COULD REVISIT THIS ORDINANCE AT
THAT TIME.
THANK YOU.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL SAY THAT
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, REDUCING
THE TIME FROM SIX MONTHS TO TWO
MONTHS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
SUPPORT. AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE
, I DO SUPPORT.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS
THAT DIFFERENCE, AND THE REASON
THAT I CAN'T AT THIS TIME
SUPPORT A REDUCTION DOWN TO TWO
MONTHS IN PART WAS MUCH LIKE
THE AMENDMENT WE WERE
DISCUSSING A MOMENT AGO, I
STARTED IN THE SAME PLACE AS
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT AND I
KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
BROUGHT UP THESE CONCERNS AS
WELL, WHERE WHEN I TOOK A FIRST
BLUSH AT THIS BILL, I THOUGHT
WHY DON'T WE REDUCE THE TIME TO
TWO MONTHS OR THREE MONTHS AND
I WAS REMINDED THAT AS PART OF
LAND-USE, WE MUST HAVE PUBLIC
HEARINGS AS PART OF 30 DAY
NOTICE, AND SO THIS IS GOING TO
BE THE ONLY EMERGENCY BILL THAT
WE WILL BE PASSING REGARDING
THESE LAND-USE DECISIONS.
THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THESE
DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE FOR
THE SIX MONTH, AND THE REASON
FOR THAT IS WITH DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS IS USUALLY TAKING ABOUT
A YEAR, THIS COVERS HALF OF
THAT LIFESPAN, PROVIDES US THE
ABILITY TO KNOW THAT IF THIS
CANNOT BE RESOLVED BY THE TIME
OUR COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS
BEGINS, THAT THERE WILL NOT BE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS
BACK UP FOR ADDITIONAL
DISCUSSION, AND SO IT REALLY
PUTS THE ONUS ON THESE
DEPARTMENTS TO CREATE THE
AVENUES OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND
THE OTHER AVENUES THAT WE HAVE
DISCUSSED IN THE BILL.
I NEED MUCH MORE THAN TWO MONTHS
TO FEEL THIS IS BEING A GOOD
USE OF OUR TIME.
MY REQUEST IS SIX MONTHS.
AGAIN, AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE,
I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF.
THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THESE AMENDMENTS?
OKAY, I AM NOT SEEING ANY.
COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE SOME WORK
THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE ON SOME
OF THESE AMENDMENTS BEFORE 2
O'CLOCK TODAY. I APPRECIATE ALL
OF THE WORK BEING DONE BY
COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE PRIME
SPONSOR ON THIS PARTICULAR BILL
TO ADDRESS THE REALITIES OF
LAND-USE ISSUES THAT'S OUR
PRESENT FOR US REGARDLESS OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AND
BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS, WE NEED TO BE
CONSCIENTIOUS OF THESE
PROCESSES, WHICH HAVE
HISTORICALLY REQUIRED AND
APPENDED ON A LOT OF PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC INPUT IN
PERSON, AND BECAUSE THAT IS
PROHIBITED CURRENTLY, IT MAKES
THIS BODY OF WORK COMPLICATED,
AND SO I THINK AT THE END OF
THE DAY, THIS COUNSEL BILL IS
IDENTIFIED BY COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS
THAT REALITY, THAT CONFLICT IN
THE BODY OF WORK THAT WE ARE
DOING AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH
ORDERS THAT WE ARE NAVIGATING
THROUGH, SO I HOPE THAT WE ARE
ABLE TO COME TO A RESOLUTION
BEFORE 2 O'CLOCK TODAY THAT
WILL ALLOW US TO MEET THAT SURE
INTENT AND TO DO SO IN A WAY
THAT IS THE MOST REASONABLE AND
RATIONAL WAY TO DO IT IN A
NARROW SENSE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE SOME
THINKING TO DO ON THIS COMPLEX
BILL, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE
ABLE TO FIND SOME RESOLUTION BY
THIS AFTERNOON.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE US
ALONG.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS REPORT.
ON HIS COMMITTEE WORK, SO I
WILL MOVE OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLT, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK YOU TO LISH AND PEDAL
FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING,
YOU ARE FREE TO HANG UP AND
LEAVE THE MEETING IF YOU WISH.
YOU WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO
ATTEND FULL COUNSEL UNLESS YOU
HEAR OTHERWISE FROM ME.
FOR NOW, THANK YOU FOR BEING
AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLT, THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
A COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO
MENTION AS FAR AS ACTIVITIES
COMING UP, AND OVER THE LAST
WEEK, JUST A HEADS UP TO
EVERYBODY HERE THAT NEXT WEEK,
WORKING WITH THE SEATTLE
WOMEN'S COMMISSION WILL BE
PRESENTING A PROCLAMATION ON
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
AND DENIM DAY FOR COUNSEL
SIGNATURES, SO THAT WILL BE
NEXT MONDAY.
AND THEN ALSO LAST WEEK, I WANT
TO SHARE WITH FOLKS THAT I HAD
A CALL WITH ABOUT A DOZEN
DISTRICT 1 SERVICE PROVIDERS,
REPRESENTING FOOD THINGS,
IMMUNITY BANKS, ORGANIZATIONS,
HEALTHCARE, HOUSING PROVIDERS
TO SENIOR CENTERS AND MORE.
WE DISCUSSED THE CHANGES THAT
THEY ARE SEEING IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE,
CHANGES THEY ARE MAKING AN
OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMMING
IMPACTS OF THOSE CHANGES ON
THEIR STAFF, AND THE NEEDS AND
GAPS THAT THEY ARE IDENTIFYING
IN THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
ONE OF THE COMMON CONCERNS THAT
I HAVE HEARD FROM FOLKS, AND I
KNOW WE ALL CONTINUE TO HEAR
THIS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT
THERE IS A NEED FOR CONTINUED
SUPPORT IN PURCHASING AND
ATTEMPTING TO CONNECT TO
CENTRALIZED PURCHASING AT THE
CITY AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY
TO PPE AND MASKS, AND SOME OF
THE PROVIDERS WERE AWARE OF
THAT COMBINED PURCHASING THAT
THEY ARE FACILITATING, SOME ARE
NOT, BUT EVEN THOSE WHO WERE
AVAILING THEMSELVES OF THAT
CITYWIDE PURCHASING POWER, WE
ARE STILL FEELING THAT THE
ORDERS THEY HAVE BEEN PUTTING
IN FOR PPE HAVE BEEN COMING UP
SHORT AS FAR AS WHAT THEIR
NEEDS ARE.
AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER BIG
ISSUES THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN
THE CALL WAS THE NEED FOR
OUTREACH IN SPANISH-SPEAKING
COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF USING MASKS AND
GLOVES AS IT RELATES
SPECIFICALLY TO MARKETS. THE
OBSERVATION WAS MADE THAT BOTH
CUSTOMERS AND WORKERS IN SOME
OF THE ETHNIC MARKET AND SOUTH
PARK, YOU DO NOT SEE AS
PREVAILING OF A USE OF MASKS,
AS YOU WOULD FOR INSTANCE IN
WEST SEATTLE.
SO JUST WANTING TO IDENTIFY THAT
, AND AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER,
WE HOPE FOLKS CAN JOIN US AT
THE ELECTRONIC TOWN HALL ON THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE ON
WEDNESDAY FROM 5-6:30 P.M.
THAT IS IT FOR ME.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON
THAT REPORT?
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE SWIFTLY
ALONG. SO COUNCILMEMBER LAWRENCE
, UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO LEAVE
THE CALL SINCE WE ARE GOING SO
LONG.
SO SHE WILL PROVIDE HER REPORT
NEXT WEEK.
I APPRECIATE HER HANGING ON FOR
AS LONG AS SHE COULD, AND WE
WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON NOW
TO COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.>> THANK
YOU.
I WILL BE BRIEF AS WELL, GIVEN
THE LATER HOUR THIS AFTERNOON.
SO FIRST, I WANT TO REPORT IN
RESPONSE TO SOME OF YOUR REMARKS
IN YOUR REPORT, IT WAS REALLY
GREAT HAVING YOU ON A CALL THAT
I HAD WITH SEVERAL SEATTLE
SERVICE PROVIDERS REGARDING
FOLLOW-UP FROM MY COMMITTEE
MEETING A WEEK AND A HALF AGO
REGARDING THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO
STAND UP HYGIENE INVESTMENTS,
IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION WITH SERVICE
PROVIDERS WITH ONGOING NEEDS,
AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE NOT
BEEN PROVIDED SINCE THAT
COMMITTEE MEETING. I DID JUST
WANT TO FLAG FOR THE GENERAL
PUBLIC AND FOR COLLEAGUES WHO
MAY BE UNAWARE THAT THERE WERE
SIX NEW HYGIENE STATIONS
ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK BY THE
EXECUTIVE. ONE IN GEORGETOWN,
ONE IN THE SAME VINCENT FOOD
BANK, ONE AT STEINMAN PARK, ONE
AT THE WATERFRONT PARK, ONE AT
45th, WHEN AT THE UNIVERSITY
HEIGHTS CENTER AND ONE AT BELL
STREET PARK.
THESE NEW INVESTMENTS ARE
OBVIOUSLY VERY WELCOME.
THEY ARE STILL NOT SUFFICIENT TO
DIVIDE RESPONSE TO THE LEVEL OF
DEMAND THAT WE ARE SEEING BASED
ON THE REPORTS I HAVE HEARD
FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I HAVE BEEN
WORKING CLOSELY WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ON TRYING
TO GET A BIGGER MOVEMENT ON
RESOURCES IT TO THE ONGOING
HYGIENE CHALLENGES, CONTINUING
TO WORK ON ONE OF THE BIG
TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT COMMITTEE
MEETING, WHICH WAS TO FOCUS ON
FIGURING OUT STRATEGIES TO OPEN
SOME OF OUR PUBLIC BUILDINGS,
INCLUDING LIBRARIES THAT HAVE
WATER SUPPLY IN THEM.
THOSE EFFORTS ARE ONGOING.
I WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP ON
SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM
THAT COUNCIL MEETING, AND I
DIDN'T WANT TO FLAG THE PROCESS
THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN TERMS OF
THE HYGIENE STATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN SECURED TO PLAY THERE WILL
BE MORE UPDATES THIS WEEK AND
GOING INTO NEXT WEEK. JUST
WANTED TO BRIEFLY MENTION ON
THE INTRODUCTION REFERRAL
CALENDAR, THERE IS A NUMBER OF
APPOINTMENTS TO THE AUDITING
GROUP THAT IS GOING TO BE
MEETING REMOTELY. I BELIEVE
THEIR RESUMES HAVE BEEN
CIRCULATED AND IT IS A GOOD
GROUP OF FOLKS, INCLUDING
FORMER AUDITORS FROM KING
COUNTY AS WELL AS THE CITY OF
PORTLAND, MEMBERS OF ORGANIZED
LABOR, ACADEMICS AT THE EVANS
SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
SO REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING A
CONVERSATION NEXT WEEK, AND
JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO
COUNCILMEMBER HEARING ON
WEDNESDAY. AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO ANOTHER WEEK OF COUNCIL
ACTION DURING THIS PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS. SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
OAY, WE WILL MOVE TO
COUNCILMEMBER MORELLO'S. THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> OKAY.
GOOD MORNING, OR AFTERNOON AT
THIS POINT.
I WILL BE BRIEF.
THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
CALENDAR FROM THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO FLAG THAT IN THE NEXT
COUPLE WEEKS, WE WILL BEGIN THE
PROCESS OF PRE-AUTHORIZING THE
NEW DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT AREA.
PETERSON AND I HAVE BEEN
WORKING TO ENSURE WE CAN STAY
ON TRACK FOR THIS AUTHORIZATION
EXPIRES, AND STILL COMPLY WITH
THE PUBLIC HEARING
REQUIREMENTS, SO WE WILL BEGIN
THAT PROCESS IN THE NEXT WEEK
OR TWO.
AS WE MENTIONED, I LOOK FORWARD
TO OUR BUDGET MEETING THIS
WEDNESDAY TO DISCUSS THE
IMPORTANCE OF RAISING REVENUE
TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE CASH
ASSISTANCE TO OUR LOW INCOME
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ALSO TO
ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING
EMERGENCY WE HAVE AROUND
HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY.
ALREADY DISCUSSED OUR
SUBSTITUTE FOR THIS AFTERNOON,
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY QUICKLY
THAT WE DO CONTINUE VIRTUAL
OFFICE HOURS IN THE DISTRICT
FROM FRIDAY'S, ON FRIDAYS FROM
10-NOON AND TOMORROW WE WILL BE
PARTICIPATING IN A TENANT TOWN
HALL. WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE
STATEWIDE AND NATIONWIDE FIGHT
OR MORTGAGE AND RENT MORATORIUM
AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR'S
PROTECTION ORDER AND
LEGISLATION THAT MY OFFICE IS
WORKING ON WITH PROGRESSIVE
REVENUE.
I THINK I WILL LEAVE IT THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT LEAVES ME.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS
AFTERNOON'S AGENDA.
OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE
CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THERE WAS AN INTENTION BY MY
OFFICE TO BRING FORTH COUNSEL
BILLS 119761 AND 119762, WHICH
ARE THE BILLS RELATED TO
CREATING A NEW EVICTION DEFENSE
AND ARE JUST CAUSE ORDINANCE
FOR RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD TENANT
AGREEMENT, SO THIS WAS SORT OF
SIMILAR TO THE LEGISLATION WE
TOOK ACTION ON LAST WEEK THAT
WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLT RELATED TO COMMERCIAL
TENDENCIES, BUT WE OF COURSE
SAW GREAT NEWS COMING OUT OF
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
IMPLEMENTING THE NEW POLICY OF
RENT PAYMENT PLANS STATEWIDE,
THAT IS A CONVERSATION I HAD
WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE LAST
FRIDAY, SO IT WAS REALLY
APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE A COPY OF
OUR PROPOSED BILL AND HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND SEE
THE GOVERNOR AND HIS FOLKS
IMPLEMENT THAT IMPORTANT
POLICIES STATEWIDE WAS REALLY
AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN
RESPONDING TO THE REALITIES OF
THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT
HOW THEY ARE GOING TO PAY THE
RENT WHEN THEY CAN'T WORK AS A
RESULT OF THE CLOSURES
STATEWIDE.
SO WE WILL BE TAKING NEXT STEPS
ON THOSE BILLS.
I STILL INTEND TO BRING THEM
FORWARD AND IT IS JUST THE
EXTENSION OF THE MORATORIUM AND
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S
ORDER GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF
TIME AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO A
CROSSWALK BETWEEN WHAT WE JUST
SAW, UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER
AND WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MY
PROPOSED COUNSEL BILLS BEFORE
WE TAKE ANY FINAL ACTION ON
THAT.
MY HOPE IS WE WILL CONTINUE TO
EVALUATE WHAT THE IMPACTS OF
THOSE ORDERS ARE ON OUR POLICY,
STILL INTEND TO MOVE THEM
FORWARD, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE FULLY EVALUATING
THOSE BILLS TO IDENTIFY ANY
GAPS OR FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES
IN TERMS OF THE POLICY
DIRECTION OF THOSE BILLS.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO
HAVE SOMETHING IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF WEEKS, AS SOON AS WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ABSORB
THE PARTICULAR DETAILS OF THE
GOVERNOR'S ORDER ON THE ISSUES
THAT ARE TOUCHED ON IN THESE
COUNSEL BILLS.
THAT IS IT FROM ME. I AM HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR HAVE
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
OKAY, HEARING NONE, IS THERE
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF
THE ORDER?
OKAY, SEEING NONE, COLLEAGUES,
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG
MEETING.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND
COOPERATION.
SOMETIMES THESE MEETINGS CAN GO
A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE OF
THE REMOTE NATURE OF HOW WE ARE
MEETING, BUT I REALLY DO
APPRECIATE YOU ALL HANGING IN
THERE, AND CONTINUING TO BE
ENGAGED, AND ALLOWING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO THINK OF COUNCIL
CRAVINGS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE
OF A CREATIVE WAYS WE CAN HAVE
THESE POLICY CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN
THIS LESS FORMAL SETTING IN
ORDER TO THAT SOME OF THESE
IMPORTANT POLICY ISSUES,
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE NOT
HAVING COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
PATIENCE AND FOR YOUR HARD
WORK.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
ALL AGAIN AT 2 O'CLOCK FOR A
FULL COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS FOR
THIS MORNING, SO WE ARE
ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY.